You and me, Luna
by Shadream
Summary: Hermione and Luna have a rare gift within magic. A gift that doesn't come without problems. Follow the girls through their journey in life as they try to balance friendship, school and love from the dangers that constantly lurk in the surrounding shadows. Can they save the magical world from itself? Or maybe it's more right to ask if they even want to save the world at all?
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:** I don't want to go into much detail about what this story will contain, but there are a couple of things that I feel should be said so that those who don't like these things can move on. _

_This story will contain F/F romance. Hermione/Luna is the only determined couple in the story so far. I don't wish to promise anything when it comes to other couples at the present time._

 _This story will be an AU._

 _The characters will be OOC. They will keep their more familiar traits where I can, but people change over time._

 _If none of this suit you, this will then be the first and last warning you get to close your browser._

 _English isn't my native language, which will result in errors here and there. I'll do my best to learn from my mistakes and constantly develop my knowledge around the language._

 _Last time I had some good reviews that told me about things I could do better, which I was very grateful for. But I also had a few reviews that said I did things wrong, but they never told me exactly which mistakes I had done. If you see me making mistakes you wish to point out, please do so in a constructive manner._

 _ **Special note:** Some of you'll look at the title of the story and wonder where you've seen it before? Well, I can give you the answer to that question. I had another story here earlier with the same title, but one that I chose to take down. Why? Last time I had a story to tell, but I chose the wrong way to tell it. My mistake was that I tried to use the original story as the core and wrap the parts of my own story around it. This led to the original story soon took control of the plot, and my own story ended up in the background. In the end, my motivation hit the famous brick wall. The fun was gone._

 _The end?_

 _Not really. The story was still dancing around in my head and wanted to get out. So I sat down and analysed what had gone wrong. Eventually, I found the answers and the solution. Instead of what I had done last time, I needed to let my own story shape the core and wrap the parts I wanted to keep from the original story around my own. When I understood this, a new problem appeared. My old story plot had more holes than a warehouse full of Swiss cheese (Not that I've ever written any plot since I'm a Pantser, but you understand my point). For a while, my imagination was very dead, but one day it whispered a name into my ear, and this name started a huge wave of inspiration. After a lot of research, the plot formed itself in my mind, and suddenly the story was more alive than what it had ever been before._

" _ **Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently. (Henry Ford)"**_ _Well, Mr Ford. Challenge accepted. Let the magic begin._

 _ **DISCLAIMER: I don't own "Harry Potter" in any way. That honour belongs to J. . I get no financial gain from this. All I get is the experience of writing stories and having fun while doing this.**_

 **XXXXXXX**

 **London, late at night, Sunday, 1st November. 1981.**

" _What is it, my dear?"_ asked Eleanor Granger with a yawn.

" _I heard noises from the first floor,"_ said Nathaniel Granger while he pulled the duvet aside. He put his feet in the slippers and with stumbling steps, he walked towards the bedroom door.

" _Could it be Hermione?"_

" _She isn't old enough to walk down the stairs alone yet. Is she?"_ asked Nathaniel.

" _Who knows she can do or not these days. She surprises me every single day,"_ answered Eleanor who also was out of the bed now.

" _Shh, I can hear someone coming up the stairs!"_ whispered Nathaniel. He grabbed a thick, sturdy umbrella which stood next to the door. Then he began to slide the door handle down. It was almost all the way down, but then the two Granger's could hear a familiar voice from the corridor.

" _Mummy! Thirst, Mummy!"_

In pure panic, Nathaniel ripped open the door and looked down the corridor. There, their two-year-old daughter stood in her blue pyjamas while she rubbed her eyes. When the girl saw Nathaniel, she stretched out her arms and came forward. Nathaniel wanted to pick up his daughter, but then he could sense something which stared at him from the stairs.

" _How nice of you to gather here now,"_ hissed a cold voice.

Nathaniel turned his head around and saw a dark figure standing on top of the stair. The sight of this...creature, made Nathaniel feel as if his blood turned to ice. _"Get…get out of our house. Or you will regret it!"_ managed Nathaniel to say, but his voice had no convincing strength in it.

" _As you wish, but not until I've carried out my purpose here, I'm afraid,"_ said the figure with a sinister laugh.

Nathaniel felt helpless and stared at his wife in the open bedroom door. Eleanor was utterly terrified, but her eyes weren't aimed at the figure on the top of the stair. When Nathaniel looked down in front of himself, he understood what made his wife so scared.

" _Hermione?"_ whimpered Eleanor.

Their daughter had walked passed Nathaniel and stood now between him and the dark figure. Hermione opened her mouth, but it wasn't the little girl's voice they heard this time.

" _ **You have no power here, servant of darkness. I banish you back to the abyss you came from,"**_ said the voice of an elderly woman. There were enormous self-esteem and strength behind these words. Then Hermione clapped her hands together.

A green light, accompanied by a thunderbolt, blinded both Nathaniel and Eleanor. How long they were without sight was uncertain, but soon could the two Granger's see again. They both looked around, but could now only see themselves and their daughter in the corridor. The intruder had disappeared.

" _Mummy, thirsty,"_ said Hermione in her own voice again. The girl wandered drowsy towards her mother who picked her up.

" _Is he gone?"_ asked Eleanor while she cradled her daughter.

Nathaniel raised his hands in response. _"I've no idea. Take Hermione with you into our room while I check the rest of the House."_

" _We should call the police first. What if the intruder is still here?"_

" _And what would we tell them?"_ answered Nathaniel. _"If we told them what happened, they'll think we're crazy, or use a form of a drug. The phone is also on the first floor, so I need to go downstairs anyway."_

Eleanor sighed. _"I guess you're right, but be careful,"_ she replied. With a last glance around the corridor, Eleanor disappeared into the bedroom with her daughter.

Nathaniel looked down the stairs. It was completely dark on the first floor and thus impossible for him to see what could be waiting down there. He tried the light switch on the wall. After repeated attempts, he became worried when nothing happened. With one step at a time, while holding his back against the wall, Nathaniel went down the stairs. When he reached the first floor, he stood silent for several minutes, listening. Without hearing any sounds out of the ordinary, Nathaniel could breathe more relaxed.

He opened the fuse box on the wall and discovered why the power was gone. All the fuses inside was broken, and a smell of burned wires filled Nathaniel's nose. He looked at his wristwatch and saw it had stopped past 5 o'clock. With a hopeful wish, Nathaniel lifted up the receiver on the phone, but it had gone the same way as everything else. _"Great,"_ he muttered. Nathaniel continued to look through all the rooms in the house. Without finding anything unusual in them, he returned to the second floor again. With a light knock on the bedroom door, he said, _"Eleanor, it's me."_

Soon after, the door became unlocked, and a very relieved Eleanor opened it. _"Did you see anything?"_

" _The house is empty, except for us,"_ answered Nathaniel as he entered the bedroom. _"The fuses in the box downstairs are broken, the wires smelled burned, and the phone is dead. I've to wait until some of the neighbours wake up and borrow their phone to call an electrician. How is Hermione doing?"_

Eleanor nodded toward the Granger's bed where Hermione was sleeping. _"I gave her a glass of water after you left. She fell asleep only seconds after as if nothing had happened. Nathaniel, what's going on with her? We've always wondered if Hermione was a bit…special, but we've never had any clear evidence before."_

" _Well, it's beyond all doubt now that our daughter isn't an ordinary child. I still can't understand how Hermione could speak with that voice, or what she did to the intruder."_

" _But she's still our daughter?"_ asked Eleanor in an accusing tone.

" _Of course she is our daughter. We only need to find out more about her...abilities."_

" _I'm sure we'll find someone in the yellow pages who can help,"_ said Eleanor.

Nathaniel had to smile. Even in this situation, his wife kept her good mood. _"Let's take one step at a time. I'll go over to one of the neighbours later and ask to borrow their phone. When an electrician have looked over the wires, we can then discuss what we should do next."_

 **XXXXXXX**

 **The Lovegood house, early in the morning, Sunday, 1st November. 1981.**

The Lovegood house was still quiet this morning even though the clock had passed eight. Xenophilius Lovegood was away on one of his many travels, one he wouldn't be back from before in three more days. On the second floor of the house, Luna Lovegood slept after last night's event. The little girl had been sitting on the roof with her mother and looked at the stars on the sky.

The first signs of life came from the kitchen when Pandora Lovegood waved her wand to turn on the lights. The woman had recently woken up and was still dressed in her turquoise morning robe and sandals. She filled a kettle with water and moved her wand over it three times. A few seconds later, Pandora filled a cup with warm water and dipped a tea bag into it. As she sat at the kitchen table and stared out the window, Pandora had a reason to smile. It seemed to become a beautiful day where the sun rose over the horizon and towards the blue sky. Only the dangers of the ongoing war prevented it from turning into an outstanding day.

" _Hmm, the newspaper is late,"_ said Pandora and looked around the room. _"I hope Ariel isn't in trouble."_ She had scarcely said these words before someone knocked on the front door. Instinctively, the wand was already in Pandora's hand and hidden behind her back. With caution, she moved towards the door and peered through the spy-hole. _"Great, why did she have to come today?"_ she said with a sigh and opened the door.

On the stairs outside, a white, older woman stood with a smug smile. She was only five feet tall, had grey shoulder-length hair and was wearing an olive-green robe. Age-wise would most people said the woman was around 80, but Pandora knew they weren't even near the truth.

" _Maya, what can I do for you this morning?"_ said Pandora with a forced smile.

" _Have you read the Daily Prophet today?"_ said Maya and walked right in without asking for permission.

" _No,"_ replied Pandora, while avoiding closing the door with a bang. _"Should I?"_

" _You haven't read it then,"_ said Maya. She sat down at the kitchen table and waited for Pandora to do the same.

" _No, Ariel hasn't arrived with it yet,"_ answered Pandora when she sat at the table again. She wondered why the older woman was so interested in the newspaper. Maya seldom cared about what was happening in the magical world. The few times she indeed showed some interest, it wasn't for reasons you would expect.

Maya pulled out a newspaper from one of the sleeves of her robe. _"I took the liberty of acquiring one for you. You're welcome. The queues for today's edition is already long, and thus it's hard to get hold of one. I assume it's the reason why your falcon is delayed."_

Pandora grabbed the newspaper and rolled it out. The headline on the front page made her gasp. **"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is dead. The war is finally over?"** it said in large letters. A picture below showed people who were dancing and celebrating in Diagon Alley. Some of the wizards shoot fireworks with their wands. _"Is it true? Is he dead and gone for good?"_ asked Pandora.

" _According to my source, he is without a doubt gone. Death? I can't say for sure yet,"_ answered Maya. _"My spies among his followers also thinks he's gone for good._ _Many of the Death Eaters have already fled. The few left who's faithful to the Dark Lord hasn't been able to hold them back. The worst of the fighting has reached an end, but it will take a while before this world is safe again."_

A great relief went through Pandora over the news that the war was almost over. Now she could look forward to her daughter being able to grow up in more peaceful times. Pandora had the urge to sing a joyous song, but then she remembered who was in the room with her. _"What's your true reason to be here, Maya?_ _I doubt you only came here to deliver this newspaper. You've shown no interest in this war before, so what has changed?"_

A broad smile spread over Maya's face. _"My interest in the war has always been there. I've only chosen not to show it."_ She tapped her index finger on the picture in the newspaper. _"These people know Voldemort is gone. If you on the other side ask them how he disappeared, then you'll get as many tales as people you ask. They don't know or don't wish to know."_

" _I guess you're one of the few who knows how he vanished?"_

" _I wasn't witnessing his alleged death, but my source did,"_ said Maya and got up from her chair. She went over to one of the windows and stared out towards the sunrise. _"I can't tell you his name, but over the thirty years I've known him, he has never failed me. I thus trust his words about what happened. His primary task in the last two years has been to guard over a particular family in London. They're what you call Muggles."_ She turned back towards the younger woman. _"_ _Tonight, Voldemort came to this family's house."_

" _Why did You-Know-Who had an interest in a single family with Muggles? I know there was no love for Muggles in his cold heart, but they weren't anything other than insects in his eyes. Unless they were unlucky and crossed his path, then the Muggles was mostly safe from him."_

" _True,"_ said Maya. _"Now, this family have a two-year-old daughter. This little girl seems to be like most other girls, but she was the reason for Voldemort's presence. He had somehow found out about this girl and wanted to handle her himself."_

" _What threat could a little girl from a Muggle family be to You-Know-Who? Why didn't he send one of his Death Eaters instead?"_ asked Pandora. This woman's love for weaving her knowledge into riddles was annoying and time-consuming.

" _My source has long suspected this girl to have some extraordinary abilities. Until tonight, he hasn't been able to prove this. Do you want to know how Voldemort disappeared?"_ asked Maya.

" _Why ask a question you know the answer to?"_ said an annoyed Pandora.

Maya smiled smugly. _"This girl and Luna, they're the same."_

" _She is the same as Luna? How?"_ asked Pandora shocked. _"If they're Muggles, then it can't be possible that she's like my daughter."_

" _But she is. My source had entered the house after Voldemort and was about to stop him from murdering the girl. Voldemort was too occupied with the family to notice my source standing at the bottom of the stair. One swift movement with his wand was all he would need, but he never got the chance."_

" _Why not?"_ asked Pandora.

" _He suddenly couldn't move his body. Then he heard a voice which didn't belong to any of the others in the house. The next he remembers is when he wakes up far away from the house. "_

" _How far away?"_

Maya sat down at the table again. _"He didn't say explicitly where, only it was on the coast, close to Portsmouth."_

Pandora stood up from her chair and roamed around in the kitchen. _"It can't be true. You're trying to tell me a two-year-old Muggle girl can do all this?"_

Maya only nodded.

" _This girl killed You-Know-Who?"_

" _It seems so."_

" _And she sent your source several miles away from London?"_

Maya nodded again.

" _If your source ended up there, how can he be sure You-Know-Who is gone?"_ asked Pandora.

" _He returned to the house afterwards, but by then had a dozen Aurors from the Ministry of Magic also arrived. So he stayed in the shadows and listened. The Aurors found Voldemort's robe on the street, soaked in his blood."_

" _Then the Aurors also knows about the girl. They must have detected her magic to arrive there so fast."_

" _My source also feared this, but then one of the Aurors asked the others about where the magic had come from,"_ said Maya. She smiled contented. _"They didn't know who had killed Voldemort and this gave my friend an idea. He attacked the Aurors and shouted; Death to Voldemort!"_

" _He attacked them? It's suicide! The Aurors can use the Unforgivable Curses if they need to."_

" _I know, but my source isn't an amateur with magic. He deflected their spells with ease and gave them a few of his own before he retreated. Afterwards, he came to me and told everything. Because of his choice of action is the girl safe."_

Pandora did read the Daily Prophet a second time. _"Nothing about who killed You-Know-Who in here. If your source did take on the Aurors so easy as you say, the lack of information isn't a surprise at all. It's not a good idea to tell the public that You-Know-Who was killed by someone who escaped a dozen Aurors."_

" _I can understand they don't want to replace one Dark Lord with another which could be stronger,"_ said Maya. _"_ _Not after so many years in fear of the first."_

" _Where is your source now?"_ asked Pandora.

" _After his report to me, I told him to stay hidden for a while."_

" _For once, I agree with you,"_ said Pandora. _"The Ministry of Magic will create a fake story on how You-Know-Who died for the public. The search for this new danger will stay a secret for as long they can keep it hidden."_

" _At least for a while until they can't find any new traces of my source,"_ said Maya with a smile. _"Then they'll put the case into an archive, and then most will forget about it."_

Pandora sighed and looked again at the newspaper on the table. _"I still can't believe this girl is the same as my daughter? Luna isn't even close to this strength in magic,"_ said Pandora and sat down. _"She can't even control her magic yet."_

" _Luna is stronger than you think, but she hasn't had a reason to use her magic in the same way."_

" _I've always thought the stories of how strong they could be were a bit exaggerated. If this Muggle girl is the same as my Luna, then the thought of it scares me more than ever before. This girl, she can't be a pure Muggle? Someone in her family must have had magical abilities for this to be possible."_

" _No,"_ answered Maya while shaking her head. _"My source has searched through the family's history as far back it was possible. He couldn't find traces of magic in any of the girl's predecessors. There are other ways the magic can have mingled unnoticed with her ancestors, but it doesn't matter now. The girl is one of them, and that's the most important thing."_

" _Which leads me to my next question. I'm delighted to hear the war is soon over and You-Know-Who is gone, but what has all this to do with me?" asked Pandora. "I would have found out about most of this on my own during the day. Also, why do you choose to tell me about one of the others now? Every single time when I've asked you about them before, you've refused to say anything about them._ _Now, you're telling me almost everything about this girl except for her name and address. Why?"_

" _The girl's name is Hermione Jean Granger. Her address isn't so important,"_ said Maya. She put down a green, disc-shaped stone on the table and pushed it over to the younger woman. _"You only need to use this to find her."_

" _Wait! Use what? Find her?"_ answered Pandora and picked the stone up from the table.

" _It's an apparition stone. My source left a similar one in a safe place behind the family's house. Squeeze your fingers around that one, and as you're about to apparate, you focus on the one left behind by my source. They will seek each other out and guide you safely to the destination. Only remember they work only once, so do it right the first time."_

" _You want me to go there? At risk of repeating myself too often now, but why?"_

" _Someone has to visit the family and introduce them to the magical world. I've chosen you to do this. Thought it was evident?"_

" _You can't be serious?"_ said Pandora.

" _Yes, I'm serious. Bring Luna with you. I believe it will be good for her to meet other children."_ Maya stood up and walked toward the door.

" _Take Luna with me? You've told me Luna couldn't meet the others before she got older. Because meeting them now would create emotional disharmony between them. Also, let's not forget I would break the most important rule by telling this family about our world. The Ministry of Magic would send their Aurors after me as soon they found out."_

" _Don't worry yourself about the Ministry of Magic. I'll handle that problem for you,"_ said Maya and opened the door. She went out on the stairs, but before she closed the door, she said, _"And you need not worry about your daughter. You'll understand when you get there."_ A final smug smile and the woman were gone.

Pandora was again alone in the kitchen, annoyed and confused. She sat silent the next few minutes and pondered on the task which had been given her by Maya. At last, she made a decision. With a sigh, she muttered to herself, _"I don't understand why you trust this woman, Albus._ _I've always relied on you in the past, but I begin to wonder how much of our future I should put in your hands?"_

It took Pandora almost an hour to wake Luna, get her some breakfast and ready to go into the city. Because of Luna's safety, they couldn't travel straight to their destination. They first apparated to a hidden cottage a short distance away from their house. Within the cottage, they used the Floo network to a second cottage. This repeated itself one more time before they ended up in one of the fireplaces at The Leaky Cauldron.

" _Ah, Mrs Lovegood. It's good to see you again,"_ said Tom, the landlord of The Leaky Cauldron. _"I assume you've heard the joyful news and have come to celebrate with the others in Diagon Alley?"_

" _Yes, Tom. The news has reached me, but there's some other business I need to finish first. Perhaps later today?"_ answered Pandora. She looked around at the Inn and discovered how empty it was. _"You don't have many customers today?"_

Tom chuckled. _"Most of them are out there,"_ he said, pointing with his thumb towards the door to Diagon Alley. _"They'll be back soon enough when they're getting thirsty."_

Pandora waved goodbye to the landlord and went out on the street in front of the Inn. The Muggles walked past the two Lovegood's as if they weren't there, which in a way was true. The Leaky Cauldron had a magical field to prevent any Muggles from seeing people come and go. This gave Pandora the chance to observe and try to learn. These people lived their life without magic, and the thought of this fascinated her. Could they have had a better life among the Muggles than in their own world? The idea of living away from the magical world had tempted Pandora at times. Could it be her fear of the war who had triggered this thought? _"Well, no reason for me to ponder on this now. Isn't that true, Luna?"_ said Pandora with a smile to her daughter.

" _Sad Mummy?"_ said Luna in a calming look with her silvery eyes.

Pandora lifted her daughter up into her arms and said, _"No, Luna. Only confused on why I accepted this task. I could have said no to Maya, but something about her makes this difficult."_

" _Maya bad,"_ said Luna, now with a grumpy expression on her face.

With a deep sigh, Pandora wondered if Luna could be close to the truth. People could be so selfish with their opinions at times. They had no sympathy with what others might feel about the matter. Pandora shoved this out of her mind for now and looked over her clothing.

She had made her long, blonde hair into a thick braid which hung over one of her shoulders. On her upper body, she had chosen a grey tweed jacket over a red sweater. Then a simple, white skirt which went down to the ankles and black shoes with short heels. Pandora hoped it would make her look like a Muggle. Her daughter wore thick, black tights and a green wool sweater which reached the girl down to her knees. Luna walked barefoot most of the time at home, but today she was wearing some simple leather moccasins.

" _Seems like we're as ready as we can be. Grab tight around me now because it's time for us to travel,"_ said Pandora.

Luna grabbed firmly around her mother's neck and said, _"Ready, Mummy."_

With a firm grip around the apparition stone, Pandora focused on the second stone out there. Soon the two Lovegood's disappeared from the street with a loud pop.

Shortly afterwards, they both stood unharmed between some dense thickets. Pandora felt something under her right foot and looked down. It was the other apparition stone which they had landed right on top off. Both stones were now black as coal and cold as ice between her fingers. As Maya had said, they were only meant for one-time use only. Pandora put both stones in one of the pockets on her jacket and studied where they had landed.

It soon became clear that the 'thickets' were bushes in the back of a large yard. Pandora pushed the branches aside so they wouldn't hit her daughter and came out on a huge lawn. There they could see a large, brown brick house with white windows and black roof in front of them. While she looked over all the windows, Pandora could soon see a woman in one of the windows next to the back door. The woman stared at the newcomers with wide open eyes. Then she turned her head and said something to someone inside the house. Soon after, she got the company of a man who didn't seem less surprised at what he saw.

Pandora wished Maya's source had laid the stone further away from the house. Before Pandora left her home in Devon, she had created a plan for her first contact with the family. A plan which didn't include to approach the house from this direction at all. Arriving at the front door would have been Pandora's preferred means to meet this family. The current situation only made the Granger's confused and suspicious of Pandora. _"I'll have to improvise then,"_ muttered Pandora.

With one arm well-placed around Luna, waved Pandora with her other arm to the two people in the window. Seconds later, the back door opened, and the man from before came out with the woman right behind.

" _Excuse me, ma'am. Can I help you with anything?"_ asked the man.

" _Hello. You must be Mr and Mrs Granger?"_ asked Pandora back. She hoped it was them at least. Otherwise, this could become more difficult than it already was.

" _Yes, that's right,"_ replied the man a little unsure.

Pandora stretched forth her free hand. _"My name is Pandora Lovegood, and this is my daughter Luna. To answer your question, I'm here to help the two of you. Of course, only if you want to accept my help."_

" _Help us with what, exactly,"_ asked Mrs Granger.

Choosing the right words was important now. Otherwise, Pandora would scare them away. _"You also have a daughter, Hermione? Has she lately shown some rather special abilities which are incomprehensible to you?"_

Both Mr and Mrs Granger's eyes widened, then they stared at each other. Mr Granger turned back towards Pandora and said, _"Yes, we have a daughter. When it comes to special abilities, then we're not sure what you mean? We think everything she does is special."_

'This could take some time,' thought Pandora. She sat Luna down on the ground. In case there would be a need for more drastic measures, Pandora would prefer to have both hands free.

" _Hermione, go back inside!"_ said Mrs Granger sudden.

Beside the woman stood a little girl, not much older than Pandora's own daughter. The girl was wearing blue pyjamas, had brown, bushy hair and eyes which matched the colour of her hair. Mrs Granger tried to stop the girl from running away, but Hermione was already out of reach from her mother. Then Hermione stopped in front of Luna with a happy smile on her face. When the two girls looked at each other with curiosity, Pandora watched them with a high pulse in her body. This was the moment Pandora had feared most of all.

" _Play with me?"_ said Hermione and stretched her arm towards Luna. The answer came in a joyful laughter from Luna, who grabbed the brunette's hand. Then both of them disappeared into the house at high speed.

Outside in the garden, Pandora could breathe a sigh of relief. The big question now was, how could this be possible? She had to find the answer to this later. She now had the chance to build more trust with the Granger's. _"Mr and Mrs Granger. I'm aware the current situation seems strange, but I'm here to help you. If you would give me a chance, I promise to give you the answers to most of your questions. But it would be better if we continue this conversation inside the house. Out here, the mix of curiosity and others ears would be a bad combination for us."_

The two Granger's looked at each other before Mrs Granger nodded to her husband.

" _Are you sure? We don't know her?"_ said Mr Granger.

" _I don't think she wants us any harm and right now I'm willing to try almost anything,"_ answered Mrs Granger. She looked into the house and continued, _"Besides, I trust Hermione. You know how she has reacted to strangers before, even other children?"_

" _Yes, but..."_ tried Mr Granger to say.

" _If Hermione doesn't have any problems with these people, then I don't have it either,"_ said Mrs Granger.

" _Very well,"_ replied Mr Granger back with a sigh. He stretched out his hand to Pandora. _"My name is Nathaniel, and this is my wife, Eleanor."_

" _Nice to meet you,"_ said Pandora while she shook hands with both of them.

A few minutes later, all three of them sat around the table in the living room. Nathaniel and Eleanor in a leather couch on one side while Pandora sat in a chair across the table. Pandora looked closer on the two Granger's and how simple they were dressed. Nathaniel was wearing black trousers and a white shirt with a grey vest over. Eleanor wore a brown, short-sleeved housewife dress. Perhaps Pandora's clothes was a bit...fancy in comparison, but she had been lucky in her choice for today.

In one corner of the living room, Luna and Hermione sat around what Pandora recognised as a dollhouse. The two girls looked to having fun while playing together. If Pandora didn't know better, she would have said the girls seemed to always have been friends. Next time she met Maya, the older woman would have to give away some answers.

" _Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I appreciate it,"_ said Pandora while she was still looking at the playful girls. _"Hermione and Luna seem to enjoy each other's company. They're around the same age, so it's not unexpected."_

" _Hermione celebrated her two-year birthday for a month ago,"_ said Eleanor. She also watched the two girls, but she did it with some unease.

" _Then she is around five months older than Luna, who was born on February 13,"_ said Pandora.

" _Mrs Lovegood, can…"_ said Nathaniel, but was interrupted.

" _Please, call me Pandora. I'm not so formal of myself,"_ said Pandora. She filled her teacup with hot water from the teapot which Eleanor had brought in from the kitchen.

" _Pandora, can you tell us why you're here?"_ asked Nathaniel again.

" _I must admit I'm not sure where to begin. When I woke up this morning, this wasn't exactly a part of my plan for the day,"_ said Pandora. _"In fact, I was very unsure if this was such a good idea at all."_

" _It sounds like you're here somewhat unwillingly?"_ said Eleanor.

" _In a way, but I'm here now and will make the best of it. After I woke up today and waited for the newspaper, an acquaintance of me came on an unexpected visit. When I say acquaintance, I mean this person isn't a friend of me. Only someone I trust to some extent,"_ said Pandora.

" _Some extent?"_ said Nathaniel.

" _Yes,"_ said Pandora as she took a sip of the tea. _"This is an excellent tea, Eleanor."_

" _Thanks," answered Eleanor._

" _Where was I? Yes, my acquaintance. Her name is Maya. An older woman I met after my daughter was born. It was an old friend of me who introduced her to me. Maya came this morning and told me about some interesting things. The most surprising thing she said to me was about your rather unpleasant visit last night. Is this right?"_ The surprised expression on the Granger's face revealed the answer to Pandora's question.

" _How could this Maya know...unless she was here?"_ said Nathaniel.

" _Maya herself claims she wasn't, but a man who works for her was here and tried to stop the intruder,"_ said Pandora.

" _We didn't see anyone else, but perhaps we were too focused on the intruder to notice anyone else?"_ said Eleanor.

" _Maya's helper stood at the bottom of the stair so you wouldn't have seen him even if you tried to look,"_ said Pandora.

" _Then why didn't he stop the intruder? And how did he know about the situation we were in?"_ asked Nathaniel.

" _I don't have a proper answer to your first question. I received only a few details about this and thus can't explain much. Maya's helper was ready to stop the intruder, but he lost control over himself before he could act. Then he heard a voice, followed by a green light before he woke up miles away from the house,"_ said Pandora.

Both of the two Granger's now looked towards their daughter.

Pandora did see their reaction and would love to ask them more about this. Instead, she continues to answer Nathaniel's questions. _"How he did know about your situation are easier to answer. This man has been keeping watch over your family for the last two years."_

" _Two years? Why would anyone need to..."_ said Nathaniel, but he stopped for a moment. _"We are only a simple family without enemies, at least as we know of. That we would need protection from someone is absurd."_

" _I'm sorry to say it's not you two who this protection was for, but your daughter,"_ said Pandora.

" _For Hermione? But who would want to harm her?"_ asked Eleanor.

" _Do you believe in magic?"_ asked Pandora.

This question would for most Muggles seem like a joke, but not for the Granger's. _"Magic? Isn't it only advanced tricks and illusions?"_ asked Nathaniel. _"We were at a show in the centre of London a few years back. They had a magician which impressed us, and for a short period, we did believe in magic. Later we found out how they did their tricks and our belief faded."_

" _Let me show you,"_ said Pandora. She pulled out her wand and pointed it towards a thick book on the table. She muttered the spell and made a quick motion with her wand. The book rose from the table and wings of paper begun to form on each side of the book. Then the wings started to move up and down. It didn't take long before the book hovered in the air above the table. She then guided the book with her wand to fly around in the room.

Luna and Hermione had discovered the flying book and were now running after it with a happy laughter. They tried to jump and catch the book, but Pandora made sure the book always was a few inches away from the girls' arms. While Pandora was playing with the girls', she noticed the two older Granger's didn't laugh or smile at all. They seemed to be more in distrust and shock over the event they were witnessing right now. Pandora didn't want to push her luck too much and decided to steer the book back to the table. With a swift spell, the wings disappeared, and it was as if nothing had happened.

" _There are other, more complicated things you can do with magic, but I think it's best not to overdo it. Sometimes the simplest is the best, right?"_ said Pandora.

" _Again,"_ said Hermione, who now stood at the table with Luna and grinned.

Pandora laughed lightly and looked at the two adults Granger's. _"Your daughter doesn't understand it yet, but with the proper training, she'll be able to do the same in a few years time. Of course, the training will only happen with your permission."_

" _But…maybe…I know…how…"_ Eleanor tried to bring out a sensible sentence, but she could not.

" _Pandora, are you saying our daughter can use…magic?"_ asked Nathaniel. _"Did the intruder come to our house last night because of this?"_

" _Yes and no,"_ said Pandora. _"This intruder wouldn't have cared if your daughter only had been able to use ordinary magic. The event last night wouldn't have happened at all if it was the case, but Hermione is, like my Luna, a rarity in my world."_

" _Your world?" said Nathaniel._

Pandora nodded. _"Once upon a time, people like me lived together with those who didn't have magic. Then a time came where the conflicts between us become too problematic. My people chose to withdraw and build its own community, hidden away from the ordinary world. There we could live in peace without having to worry about the Muggles."_ It was a short and simple explanation. Pandora didn't want to give the Granger's too much information today. If this visit didn't go well, then it would be less information for her to remove.

" _Muggles?"_ asked Eleanor puzzled.

" _Sorry. It's a common name the people in my world use on non-magical people. Most of us use it out of old habit,"_ said Pandora. _"I'm not so fond of the word myself, but so many others use it every day that I forget it sometimes."_

" _Fair enough,"_ said Eleanor. _"Could you tell us more about what makes Hermione's and Luna's magic so...special?"_

" _Then I've to first explain how I use magic in general,"_ replied Pandora. _"To perform magic, you have to follow certain rules for a correct and safe result. First, you need to use your wand in a proper pattern. Second, you've to say the words with the exact pronouncement at the right time. While doing these two steps, you need to keep your emotions under control and not use the wrong kind."_

" _Like?"_ asked Eleanor.

" _It's hard for me to explain every aspect of this, but I'll try to give an easy example,"_ said Pandora. She pulled out her wand again and looked around on the table. _"Do you have some paper?"_

Eleanor reached under the table and pulled out a paper from the shelf there. _"Will this work for you?"_

" _Yes, thank you,"_ said Pandora. She put the paper in her free hand and moved her wand over it. The paper began to twist and bend on itself until it had taken the form of a beautiful bird. Like she had done with the book, Pandora guided the paper bird up in the air, but only a few inches above her hand. The bird struck its wings and made loops. _"I'm thinking positive thoughts now and can in a calm way control the bird around. If I instead begin thinking in a negative direction, then..."_ Now the bird seemed to be out of control as it was shaking in the air. Seconds later, the bird tore itself apart and fell in pieces towards the ground.

" _So magic can be dangerous if used with negative emotions?"_ asked Nathaniel.

" _In a way, yes, but also no,"_ said Pandora. _"It's much more complicated than that, but it would take me many hours to explain all the differences. Positive and negative emotions aren't like good and evil. They both have their place in magic, but only if you do it right."_

" _Okay, but how is this related to the girls?"_ asked Eleanor.

" _For most of those who can use magic, there's a limit on how much of their emotions which can affect the magic."_ Pandora picked up the book and held it in front of the Granger's. _"If I tried to tear this book into two with my hands, there would be a limit to how many pages I could take at a time. There is only so much more strength you gain from being angry. It's the same principle when it comes to using your emotions together with magic. You can become so angry that your skin turns red, but it won't help you cross this limit. Luna and Hermione, they don't have this limit."_

The two Granger's stared at Pandora, while they tried to understand the meaning of her last words. Then Eleanor asked in a low voice. _"No limits at all?"_

" _There will always be some form of limits. The girls are still young, lacks training and need more experience with magic. They have to get older, receive the right training and study magic for many years before their limits are gone. It's not going to be easy, but at some point, they'll get a normal life,"_ said Pandora.

" _What do you mean by 'normal life'?"_ asked Nathaniel.

" _The girls' magic doesn't have any official name, but it's called wild magic among those who know about it."_ Pandora put her wand down on the table and said, _"When I perform magic, I almost always use my wand. Not only does it give me better control, but also makes it less stressful to handle the magical energy. I can perform magic without my wand, but it's harder and creates more stress for me by doing so. Only two groups can use wandless magic on a regular basis. Those with long experience and high skills in magic, and those with wild magic. For the latter one, this is both a blessing and a curse."_

" _How so?"_ asked Nathaniel.

" _At a young age, it's not uncommon for a child's strength in magic to exceeds their skills to control it. This isn't a problem for an ordinary, magical child because of their limits. They do experience some accidents now and then, but it's usually nothing dangerous. For those with wild magic, this can become a serious problem. The amount of magical energy they can use by accident is many times stronger than an ordinary child. When I looked through our history, I found several cases where this had happened. Without proper training, they had lost both control and mind."_

" _Lost their mind? Do you mean they became...insane?"_ asked Eleanor.

" _I'm afraid so,"_ replied Pandora.

" _No!"_ said Eleanor. With horror in her eyes, she looked over to the corner where the two girls were playing together again.

" _It begins with one single accident which makes them unsure of what happened. As new accidents follow, their mind begins to deteriorate more and more for each event. Handling so much magical energy without training at a young age isn't healthy. The mental stress of not knowing what's going on with them doesn't make things any better. One day, they'll give up trying to control it and let the magic do whatever it wants. The result is a person with enormous strong magic, causing chaos wherever they go. The exact reason why it's called wild magic isn't known, but I would guess it has to do with its random behaviour."_

" _You don't know? You have this kind of magic among your people, and you don't even know why it's called that?"_ said Nathaniel. _"And you still haven't explained what you did mean with them getting a 'normal life'? Being insane isn't what I consider to be a 'normal life'."_

" _Nathaniel, relax,"_ said Eleanor. _"Pandora has several times talked about some training, which I believe is what she wants to tell us about now. Right?"_

Pandora only nodded. She could see how the two Granger's began to struggle with all the information they had got today. There was still a lot they would need to know, but Pandora decided to work her way towards an end now. _"There is still much we don't know about wild magic since its origin can be traced many centuries back. Most of the knowledge has been handed down from person to person, but some of it hasn't survived because of this. There isn't any official research on this since most only see it as a freak version of the usual magic."_

" _But Pandora, what about your own daughter? I can see you love Luna just as much as I love my Hermione, so there has to be a way to train them. Why are you here today and tell us about this if there is no hope?"_ said Eleanor.

" _You're right, there is hope,"_ said Pandora. _"We have a school where our children learn about magic. This school has a Headmaster who became one of my favourites among the teachers during my time there. Few know it, but he also has wild magic and is the only one who's researching this today. His name is Albus Dumbledore, and he wants to help me with Luna's training. I can't see any reason why he wouldn't train Hermione also if that's what you wish. But understand one important thing first. Your life will change forever, and it's not going to be easy, especially not for Hermione. I've been told the training must begin when they're between 4 to 5 years old. After their fifth birthday, events with accidental magic will increase."_

" _Is this Dumbledore someone you trust?"_ asked Nathaniel.

" _Yes. Albus Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard in our world today, and I'm willing to trust him with my life_."

" _But do you..."_ continued Nathaniel, but stopped when he saw his wife's angry face.

" _Nathaniel, that's enough,"_ said Eleanor. _"Why do you continue to ask when it's obvious we don't have a choice? I'm not going to just sit here and watch Hermione become insane. If she needs training to control her abilities, then that's what she should get."_

For a moment, the two Granger's only looked at each other. Then Nathaniel said, _"I would like to talk more with my wife before we decide. Can we contact you in any way when we have our final answer?"_

" _Of course, you have after all had a long day. This isn't something you should decide without careful consideration."_ Pandora wrote down two addresses on a piece of paper and gave it to Nathaniel. _"The top address is a post box in London. It's for Muggles who need to send letters to people within the magical community. Write a letter with your answer and put it in an envelope with the other address on the front page."_

" _The second address has a different name on it. Your husband's name?"_ asked Nathaniel as he looked at the paper.

Pandora knew the question would come, but she hoped to avoid having to explain too much about this. It would lead to questions about the intruder, and this would force her to explain about the civil war. The Granger's had to be told about this one day, but Pandora would prefer to avoid it today.

" _No, it's not my husband's name. For Luna's sake have our house been built outside of the more populated areas. For this reason, our house has been protected by strong magic. Unless you're invited, you can't see or enter our property at all. Because of this protection, we aren't receiving our mail directly to the house. There are a few exceptions to this and the second address is one of them. The name there is a magical algorithm who will send the letter through a series of hidden boxes. It's a safe way for people we trust to send us letters without revealing our house's location for others. We value our privacy and Luna's safety too much to allow anyone have access without us knowing about it."_

" _It seemed like a rather exaggerated method of sending a letter,"_ said Nathaniel. _"If we say yes to train Hermione, would we have to do the same?"_

" _Not unless you wish to,"_ replied Pandora. She began to feel as if Nathaniel didn't trust her at all.

Nathaniel looked at the two addresses for a couple of minutes. Then he said, _"Okay, we'll send our reply as soon as we've talked together."_

 **XXXXXXX**

 **The Lovegood house, late afternoon, Sunday, 1st November. 1981.**

Pandora sat on the stairs in front of the house while trying to gather her thoughts. Next to her stood a glass full of Firewhisky and a half-empty bottle beside the glass. Today had been one of the weirdest and most stressful days Pandora had experienced in her life. Even after emptying half a bottle of her strongest Firewhisky, her body was still tense like a string.

" _I'm too used to this stuff,"_ murmured Pandora and took a sip from the glass. _"With my luck, I'll skip drunk and go straight over to hangover."_

After they left the Granger's home, Pandora and Luna had returned to The Leaky Cauldron. Before they took the Floo network home, Pandora wanted to do one more thing before leaving. They walked over to a nearby Muggle toy store and bought a huge dollhouse to Luna's delight. Pandora could, of course, had conjured up one, but somehow she decided it would be better to buy one instead. Afterwards, they travelled back the same way as in the morning, until they again were at their house in Devon. With the war near its end, they would soon escape these extra steps and travel like everyone else.

With the glass almost empty, Pandora could see someone on the path leading to the house. It was an elderly man with long, silvery hair and beard which Pandora recognised right away. He was dressed in a black and turquoise robe and a pointed hat on his head, almost as crooked as his nose. The man stopped only a few inches away from the stairs and looked kindly at the woman sitting there.

" _You've had a tiring day, I understand?"_ said the man, nodding towards the glass in Pandora's hand. _"Unusual to see you drinking this much after you became a mother."_

Pandora raised her glass towards the man. _"Cheers, Albus,"_ she said and emptied the rest of the glass so fast it burned well down her throat. Then she put the empty glass aside and stared at the old man. _"Typical of you to come now. Was it Maya who whipped you out from your hiding place?"_

Albus rolled the end of his beard between the fingers. _"I know you're less happy about our common friend, but…"_

" _SHE IS NOT MY FRIEND!"_ cried Pandora took a few deep breaths and filled the glass up again with more Firewhisky. With the glass up against her mouth, she stopped and turned towards Albus. _"The only reason I allow Maya to come here is because you asked me to trust her. I'm trying to trust her because of my respect for you, but she isn't my friend. Not even close,"_ said Pandora and took a sip of the glass.

" _I understand,"_ replied Albus. _"What would Luna say if she saw you so...dissatisfied?"_

" _She's sleeping,"_ responded Pandora with a sigh. _"Luna was exhausted when we returned and fell asleep after dinner."_

" _So your visit ended in a positive direction, I assume?" asked Albus._

" _I'm not sure. Luna and Hermione found each other very quickly, but the girls' parents? Hermione's mother didn't seem to be afraid of her daughter's magical abilities. I'm more worried about how the girls' father reacted on the knowledge about magic."_ Pandora told Albus about the meeting with the Granger family in rough details.

" _Hmm, you made the best out of it,"_ said Albus in the end. _"Their reaction could have been far worse. Not all Muggles are willing to accept that their children have magical abilities. Even among those who do, there are problems now and then."_

" _Knowing this don't make me feel any better,"_ said Pandora. She had almost emptied her glass again.

" _Either way, this doesn't explain why you seem to have found company in that bottle of Firewhisky?"_

" _Until today, I thought Luna had a happy life. She never complains and is always smiling even in my darkest hours. But after our meeting with the Granger family, I could see a longing in Luna's face for the first time. Even when she was almost falling asleep at the dinner table, she asked when we would visit the family again. All I could say was a maybe."_

Albus didn't answer. He only smiled inside his beard.

" _Luna wants to play with Hermione again. What will this mean for Luna if they can't meet again? I've never before seen such a joy in Luna's face when she was with Hermione. Why did I listen to Maya and brought Luna with me? Why can't I talk against that woman? Why…"_ Her voice faded, and a tear trickled down her cheek. _"Each time I meet Maya, the more confident I become that she's not even human."_

" _Oh, why do you say that?"_ asked Albus somewhat curious.

" _Don't play idiot, Albus. It's not a good thing at your age,"_ answered Pandora. She stared at the once again empty glass and then at the bottle which was now only a quarter full. After some thinking, she put the cork on the bottle and pushed it away along with the glass. _"I don't need to remind you of what I was doing before I got Luna?"_

" _Of course not. You were researching magical creatures all over the world. Many believe you could have surpassed Newton Scamander if you hadn't retired yourself."_

" _Hogwash. These people have too much hope in me,"_ responded Pandora with a snort. _"Besides, I'm not entirely retired. I still do some research on them at times, but I don't go near the more dangerous creatures now. At least not until Luna gets older."_

" _Don't have too little faith in your own work, my dear Pandora. I've spoken with Newton on several occasions, and he's very impressed by your research. Your study of the Dragons is something he wishes to add to his next book."_

" _Well, whatever," said Pandora. "My point about Maya is that she sometimes behave in ways I wouldn't expect from a human."_

" _Can you describe this...behaviour?"_ asked Albus.

" _No, it's more like a hunch than a clear sign. I wouldn't have seen it without my experience on magical creatures."_

" _Maya has travelled a lot, so it's not unexpected that she has certain variations in her behaviour. Maybe it's those things you notice?"_ asked Albus.

Pandora didn't bother to answer. She knew Albus had known Maya for a quite long time and that they had a close friendship together. Without any evidence, Pandora spoke for deaf ears, so she chose to leave this topic for now. _"Albus, I have a question for you."_

" _Ask, and perhaps I can give you an answer,"_ said Albus.

" _You told me that children with wild magic should avoid meeting each other until they get older. Because the emotional disharmony between them would be dangerous without the training. When Maya suggested I should bring Luna with me today, I thought Maya had gone mad. So when Luna met Hermione at the door, I was ready to grab Luna and apparate away at any sign of trouble."_

" _But nothing happened, right?"_ said Albus.

" _They were like any other children I've seen, but how can this be true? I thought siblings were the only ones who could stay so close at this age, but Luna and Hermione aren't siblings. So how?"_

Albus watched the woman on the stairs for a while before he answered. " _I could ask you to be patient, but I believe it won't work this time?"_

Pandora shook determined on her head. _"If the Granger's accept our help for Hermione, then I'll be their contact in the beginning. Something which would mean that Luna and Hermione will see each other often and I need to know if it's safe for them. The time for patience is over, Albus. I need to know now. Not later, or when you feel it's needed, but now!"_

" _I'm afraid I can't tell you anything right now,"_ said Albus. He raised his hand to stop the upcoming protest from Pandora. _"However, when the Granger's are accepting our help, I promise to tell you everything I know. Not before."_

" _When they accept? It sounds like you expect them to accept? Are there something you're not telling me?"_ asked Pandora. The old wizard now seemed nervous where he stood and all of a sudden, Pandora did understand why. _"Albus, you and Maya won't accept a no from them? For reasons you don't want to tell me yet, they must accept?"_

Albus sighed heavily and with a faint smile, he said, _"Send me a letter when you get the answer from the Granger's. Until then, say hi to Luna from me and have a good evening."_ With that, he turned around and walked away from the house. He went through the opening of the tall hedge which surrounded the property and was gone.

On the stairs, Pandora sat with a shocked expression and looked after the wizard. Albus' eyes had radiated with pure fear when Pandora told about her revelation. Albus Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard in the world today. He who defeated Gellert Grindelwald in the greatest duel anyone had seen. The only person Voldemort had feared and thus the reason the magical world was still free. This man who had stood on the barricades during their world's worst crises was now terrified. All because of the thought that a two-year little girl maybe won't become a part of the magical world. _"Pandora, what have you been dragged into now?"_ she said to herself.

 **XXXXXXX**

 **The Lovegood house, early in the morning, Wednesday, 4th November. 1981.**

" _Not like that, Luna. Eat nicely now,"_ said Pandora. She sat at the kitchen table and made sure her daughter got most of the breakfast into her mouth and not on the floor. _"What do you think Daddy will say when he comes home tonight and discover that you've been naughty?"_

Luna only laughed and ate the remaining pieces of bread, but only those with jam on.

Through an open window on the wall, came Ariel flying in with today's Daily Prophet. Most people in the magical world preferred using owls to deliver their mail for them. Pandora had been one of these people, but she had lost several owls under the war. They were too slow and unable to defend themselves, which made them an easy target to the Death Eaters. So Pandora trained a peregrine falcon who, if necessary, could reach a speed 9-10 times faster than any owl. Since she got Ariel, hadn't a single one of Pandora's letters or newspapers gone missing.

Ariel landed on the top of one of the chairs and turned her back towards Pandora. She loosened the small backpack the falcon was wearing with a quick flip with her wand.

" _Thanks, Ariel,"_ said Pandora, scratching the bird on its back.

With a short screech, the falcon flew up to its perch where a piece of raw meat waited in the bowl.

Pandora opened the backpack and aimed her wand against it. _"Accio Daily Prophet!"_ Soon after, a newspaper jumped out of the opening and into Pandora's waiting hand. Having the Extension Charm on the backpack had been one of Pandora's better ideas. Without the backpack, Ariel wouldn't be able to manoeuvre freely and achieve her top speed. _"Luna, you can play with Ariel after you've finished eating."_

Luna was now standing under the bird perch, petting the falcon. She didn't want to leave, but obeyed her mother and returned to the table with a sad face.

Despite Luna's unfocused behaviour, Pandora had to smile. Her daughter was as interested in creatures as Pandora had been at that age, so she shouldn't be so surprised. With Luna back in her chair, Pandora could at last read through the Daily Prophet.

Most of the news was about the war and Pandora suspected this would continue for a long time forward. You-Know-Who was maybe gone, but many of his followers had either fled or refused to surrender. The Aurors still had some random skirmishes with a Death Eater or two, but most of the country had peace now. Many of those who had surrendered, claimed to have been under the Imperius Curse. Pandora doubted that all of them told the truth, but it wasn't her problem to sort them out.

When she looked through the names of those who had surrendered, Pandora saw a name she recognised. _"Lucius Malfoy?"_ she mumbled. When Pandora began at Hogwarts, Lucius started his seventh and last year. For a while, Lucius attempted to date Pandora, something the blond woman did enjoy. But as the weeks passed, Pandora did learn more about the boy, and not everything was of the good stuff. Most of Lucius friends was of the more questionable kind with a rather scary view on magic. Because of this, Pandora decided to stay away from Lucius and find friends elsewhere. Later, Lucius was seen together with Narcissa Black, a Slytherin girl from the fifth year. They hadn't talked with each other since, but Pandora knew Lucius still remembered her. His eyes said it all each time they met in Diagon Alley. Pandora sighed and rolled the newspaper together before she put it away on a shelf.

" _Mummy sad?"_ asked Luna.

Before Pandora had the chance to respond, the fireplace flared up with a green flame and spat out a letter. She looked down at the letter and saw her name on the front, written by an unknown hand. When Pandora lifted the letter from the floor and looked at the back for the sender, her heart began to beat faster. It was from Eleanor Granger! For a moment was Pandora afraid to open it, but gradually her fingers opened the envelope. The letter was pulled out and unfolded. It was only a few sentences long, but after reading through it, Pandora smiled.

" _Luna, now you have to be a good girl and eat the rest of your food,"_ said Pandora with a sly smile. _"If not, I have to visit Hermione alone and tell her you couldn't come because you weren't done with your food."_

The eyes of Luna became enormous when she heard Hermione's name. Then for the first time this morning, Luna ate her food neat and tidy without any protest.

Pandora had to turn away to not giggle. She read through the letter a few more times to be sure, but Mr and Mrs Granger message were clear. They wanted help for Hermione and asked when Pandora could see them again.

" _Well, Ariel. You're going to have a busy day, my friend,"_ said Pandora with her eyes on the falcon. Before she could answer the Granger's, Pandora would have to contact others first. Telling the family about the magical world had been the easy part. To make sure they would become part of this world in a proper and lawful way, she had more work to do first. _"Albus, you have to be faithful to your words now and tell me everything. Otherwise, it doesn't matter where you're hiding,"_ whispered Pandora to herself. Then she set off to write the first of today's many letters.


	2. Chapter 2

**The outskirts of Ottery St Catchpole, afternoon, Wednesday, 18th July. 1990.**

" _I'm sure I saw one."_

" _Mhm."_

" _The Emerald Water Fairies are often hard to find when they're sitting still on the Water lilies."_

" _Mhm."_

" _The main reason for this is their green skin, which is almost of the same colour as the leaves on the Water lilies."_

" _Mhm."_

The blonde girl looked up from the pond and stared into the tall grass behind her. Half a foot away, a second girl lay on her back, occupied with a leather-bound, grey book. The girl's brown, long and bushy hair lay scattered around her head. She didn't move, except when she turned a page in the book.

" _These Fairies build their nest on rocks next to ponds and calm rivers,"_ the blonde girl continued.

" _Mhm,"_ the brunette repeated for who knows what time now.

This time, the blonde girl snatched the book away from the other girl.

" _Luna?"_ cried Hermione out. She sat up and looked confused at the blonde girl.

Luna studied the book back and forth before she swiftly looked through the pages. _"Weird, I thought a Leshy was hiding in your book."_

" _A Leshy what?"_ said Hermione.

" _They're a woodland spirit who can shapeshift into any form they want,"_ said Luna. _"They can sometimes be very mischievous towards humans. Since you were so distant in your replies, I believed one of them was trying to control you. Luckily, they often have trouble with those of us with magic."_ Luna handed the book back to the brunette who now stared suspiciously at it.

Hermione looked at her only friend in life and released a deep sigh. She knew it wasn't a Leshy who had made Hermione so absent. _"I'm sorry, but my interest in magical creatures isn't the greatest. Not that they aren't fascinating at times, by all means. But how you manage to remember them all is a mystery to me. I even struggle with even the more general of those creatures."_

" _But you remember all the spells you read about?"_ said Luna.

" _Spells are usually based on words and numbers, something I have always been good at,"_ said Hermione. _"Despite this, I should at least try to learn more about magical creatures. It's not fair of me to trust in your knowledge all the time either."_

" _I don't mind sharing my knowledge with you. We're friends, and friends do share with each other,"_ said Luna with a smile.

" _Yes, but you're smart enough to handle the other magic without my help, so there hasn't been much for me to share with you."_

" _Not true. When Mrs Ansley teaches us the Muggle subjects, you often explain them better for me than what she can."_

Hermione couldn't deny this. When the Granger family had moved from London, then Eleanor made one thing clear for her daughter. Despite Hermione's magical abilities, she was still a Muggle girl. Magic or not, she should learn the same things any other Muggle child would at school. The only issue was to find someone who could teach Hermione these subjects. Thanks to Pandora, they did find the perfect teacher.

Cecilie Ansley was an elderly lady who recently had retired from her job as a teacher in the Muggle world. She came from the magical community, born without any abilities at all within magic. Mrs Ansley was a squib. After some persuasion, the woman had accepted to teach one last time. Since Pandora did like this idea, she made sure that Luna also would take part in this education. So when Hermione and Luna reached an age of five, they both started to study Muggle subjects with Mrs Ansley. For the coming years, subjects such as maths, literacy and geography became a part of the girls' life. Both Hermione and Luna did it well most of the time. But, there were times when Mrs Ansley had problems explaining things for Luna. Not that the blonde girl was stupid or slow in her understanding. The reason was Luna's rather unique mindset, something Mrs Ansley often struggled with. When this happened, Hermione had explained things differently so that Luna understood.

" _You're smiling,"_ said Luna.

" _I only thought about what you said. It's true that I'm helping you, but Mrs Ansley isn't exactly teaching us magic."_

" _Help is help. It doesn't matter why or how you do it. Especially when it's between friends."_ Then Luna looked towards the dark clouds in the sky. _"I believe it will soon rain. Maybe that's why we don't see the Emerald Water Fairies."_

" _They live by the water, but don't like rain?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Their wings are fragile and heavy rain can damage them,"_ said Luna. _"On days like this, it wouldn't be safe for them to leave their nests."_

Hermione pushed her book down into the brown shoulder bag she was always carrying with her. _"If it begins to rain soon, then we should go back to the town. We don't have the raincoats with us, and my mother won't be happy if we stay outside."_ She stood up and brushed off the grass and soil from her blue tunic and black pants. Then she pulled out two pairs of brown leather moccasins from her bag. After watching Luna also brushing of her green tunic, Hermione gave one of the pairs over to the blonde girl. _"I know you don't like to use them, but it's not healthy for your feet's to walk on the tarmac."_

" _Hermione always thinks about my health,"_ said Luna and accepted the shoes. _"Ah, you're blushing again."_

There had been a time when Hermione would have hid her blushing from Luna, but there wasn't any point doing so. Luna always knew when this happened. It was as if the blonde girl understood Hermione's feelings better than what she herself did. Was this a part of their magic which Hermione didn't understand yet?

The girls laid the big pond behind them and followed a path between two large fields. As the wind started to increase, the wheat axes swung in a soothing rhythm beside the girls. They soon reached a paved road which they followed towards Ottery St Catchpole. It didn't take long before they passed several houses, tall hedges and walls in the old part of the town. It was here where most of the people in the magical community had been living for almost 300 years now. The girls went off the main road and into one of the small alleys. About fifty yards into the alley, they saw a white, two-storey brick house with a black roof. Above the buildings red door, a green sign with black letters hung.

" **Dreaming Dragon's bookstore."** was a store which Eleanor and Pandora had started together a few years back. Finding a dentist job in the area had proven difficult, so Eleanor was in need of a different job. Pandora had suggested a bookstore since the two women had a common interest in books. Only a year later, they could at last open the store in one of Ottery St Catchpole's alleys.

Hermione and Luna went straight in where the sound of a bell announced their arrival. The store was filled to the brim with books of all sizes and thicknesses, organised by subject and origin. Every one of books was about magic, either from the magical world itself or the Muggle world. At the back of the room, behind a solid counter in reddish-brown wood, stood a dark-haired woman. She was wearing a long, black skirt and a yellow blouse with the name of the store on one of the breast pockets.

" _Hey, Mum. Has it been a busy day?"_ said Hermione and gave the woman behind the counter a warm smile.

The woman smiled back to the girls. _"It hasn't been too bad, but I'll be glad when Pandora comes back on Friday. There were a few customers who were looking for some unique books today, but I couldn't give them any answer. They will come back after the weekend when Pandora is here."_

" _Oh, did Mum finally find what she looked for?"_ asked Luna.

Eleanor nodded towards the balcony above the store counter.

"Ariel!" said Luna with a massive smile. Sitting on a perch was the Lovegood's peregrine, who greeted them with two short screeches.

" _She came in for an hour ago with a letter from your mother. Pandora and Xenophilius are coming home, early on Friday afternoon. They're only waiting for the permission to bring the books here,"_ said Eleanor.

" _The Ministry of Magic in Japan is rather strict with the export of old books,"_ said Luna.

" _Yes, she told me that before she left. But Pandora knows the rules well and shouldn't have much trouble,"_ said Eleanor. _"It's still an hour until I close, so you two should go up on the balcony and wait there. And Hermione, don't touch any books without asking me first. Remember that the books here are for sale, not your private library. There are plenty of books at home you can read."_

Hermione just rolled her eyes and walked up the stairs with Luna right behind. On the balcony, Hermione pulled out her book from the bag and sat down on the floor to read. Luna lifted up Ariel and started to play with the falcon. For the next half hour, none of them said much, except for a few words when a customer came into the shop. All the customers were people from the magical community, so the girls knew most of them. The bookstore was shielded to prevent Muggles from seeing and entering the store. Hermione's mother was the only exception since she owned it together with Pandora.

Hermione had read through the same chapter in the book three times now, but she wasn't sure why. It was as if she was looking for something, but without knowing what it was. While her mind tried to find the answer, Hermione suddenly heard a weird sound. She looked around in an attempt to locate this sound, but nothing of what she saw could be the source of it.

" _Hermione, is something wrong?"_ asked Luna.

" _You don't hear it?"_ answered Hermione.

" _Hear what?"_ Luna put the falcon back on the perch and looked around the store as well. _"Oh!"_ blurted Luna out.

" _You hear it now? The sound of flowing water that's coming closer?"_ asked Hermione.

Luna nodded and added, _"It's not water, but a disturbance in the magical energy."_

" _Disturbance?"_

" _Yes,"_ said Luna.

" _How do you know?"_

" _Three years ago, in the fall, Dumbledore came on a short visit in the evening to deliver some books to my mother. It was quite late, so Dumbledore probably thought I had gone to bed,"_ said Luna and stood up. Both of the girls could now hear the sound clearly. _"I sat on the top of the stairs down to the kitchen and listen to their conversation._ _They talked about magical disturbance, but because they did move around, I couldn't hear it all._ _After Dumbledore had left the house, I went down and asked my mother about this. She told me that people with strong magic could create a disturbance in the magical energy."_

" _Like us?"_

" _Yes. We're so sensitive to this energy that we will be able to feel others who also have strong magic. The sound of water we hear isn't actually a sound, but a feeling."_

" _Strong magic?"_ asked Hermione herself. Then she realised what this meant. _"Luna,"_ said Hermione in a whisper so her mother couldn't hear her. _"Are you saying that we can sense others with wild magic?"_

" _I'm not sure. My mother never mentioned our kind of magic when I asked her."_

" _It sounds like we can, but we would have to ask your mother if..."_

As the bell above the door rang, Hermione stopped talking and stared at the customers who entered. It was a small group of four people, most likely a family since they had some similar features. In front of the group, a woman in her forties walked with a flowered dress and shoulder-length red hair. Behind her came two boys and a girl with the same red hair.

" _Welcome back, Molly,"_ said Eleanor when the group approached the counter. _"What can I help you with today?"_

" _Hello, Eleanor,"_ replied the red-haired woman. _"Percy need some books for Hogwarts. We were in Diagon Alley yesterday to look for them, but they were very pricey there. Don't you have discount on school books the last months before the school begin?"_

" _Yes, we give discount to the local people every year. What books are you looking for?"_ asked Eleanor.

 _Molly gave a sheet to Hermione's mother. "It's the last two on the list here. Do you have them?"_

" _I think so,"_ said Eleanor. _"Wait here for a moment. They should be in the storage room."_

" _Of course,"_ said Molly.

On the balcony, the girls sat half hidden behind the railing and observed the new customers. The family stood close to each other, making it difficult to find out who was the source to the disturbance.

Luna leaned over to the brunette and whispered into her ear. _"It's the girl."_

" _Are you sure?"_ whispered Hermione back.

" _Look at how she behaves compared to the others."_

Hermione carefully watched all four down there, and at last, she saw the same as Luna had seen. The boys walked among the bookshelves and read the books there. Their mother didn't like this much and went between the boys to make them behave. While this happened, the girl just stood there, glancing towards the same books. Even Hermione did recognise the look in the girl's eyes.

" _She want to look into the books just as much as her brothers, but..."_

" _...she's scared to touch them,"_ finished Hermione. _"Like the first time when we were with our mothers to a store. It was shortly after we had been told about the dangers with our magic, do you remember?"_

Luna nodded.

" _We believed things would catch fire if we did touch them,"_ said Hermione with a smile. She knew why it had been Luna who discovered the difference in the family's behaviour. Human behaviour was in many areas not much different from other creatures. After Luna had learnt to read, she began studying magical creatures with her mother. Many thought Pandora would be the next great Magizoologist after Newton Scamander. Then she got Luna and decided to retire from the public life to take care of her daughter. For many people was this a sad moment since they felt it was a huge loss for the magical community. What they didn't know was how much better Luna already was at this subject than her mother. Unless the blonde girl's wild magic got in the way, then Luna would one day have a bright future. _"Hmm, I wonder."_

" _On what?"_ asked Luna.

" _If the girl is aware of her wild magic? Maybe she has had accidents with her magic earlier and don't know why?"_

" _And because of this, she doesn't trust herself,"_ said Luna with a sigh.

" _Luna, have you seen this girl before?"_

" _Not what I can remember. But still...it's like I know her somehow."_

" _I have the same feeling as you and are pretty sure this is the first time I see her,"_ said Hermione. She scratched her head for an answer, but Hermione couldn't shake off the feeling she knew this girl.

" _Here, Molly,"_ said Eleanor when she came back with two thick books. _"I'm sorry it took so much time, but we've received many new books recently which I haven't had a chance to unpack yet. The storage room is a bit chaotic for the moment."_

" _It's fine, Eleanor. Pandora isn't here today?"_ asked Molly.

" _No, she's in Tokyo on a search for some rare books,"_ replied Eleanor.

" _Ah, I understand."_ Molly paid for the books and quickly pushed her children out of the building.

" _They were in a hurry to get out,"_ said Hermione. It wasn't unusual that the customers spend some time talking to her mother. Many of them were quite fascinated over that a Muggle owned a bookstore in the magical world. So it was rare to see people rushing out like the redheaded family. _"Come, I've become curious now."_ Hermione stood up and stormed down the stairs.

" _Hey, what did I tell you about running in here?"_ said Eleanor strictly.

" _Mum, who was that family?"_ asked Hermione.

Eleanor folded her arms and looked at her daughter even stricter. _"When we started this bookstore, it wasn't for feeding you with all kinds of gossip. That family were customers. Not a subject for curiosity and other follies."_

" _Eleanor,"_ said Luna, who had followed the brunette far more calmly down the stairs. _"Hermione aren't asking because we're looking for gossip. She ask because we think the girl in that family is like Hermione and me."_

" _Ginevra? Why do you think that?"_ asked Eleanor, but she then raised her arms up in the air. _"No, wait with the answer until we get home. I don't have the time for this right now. Beside, we shouldn't talk about that subject here where people can come at any time. You two can in the meanwhile help me carry the books from the storage room and out to the counter. I need to begin sorting them tomorrow."_ And without saying anything more, Eleanor continued on her regular routines.

Hermione just shrugged her shoulders and pulled Luna after her into the storage room.

Half an hour later, an yellow Ford Escort station wagon rolled up in front of a house outside the town. It was here Hermione lived with her mother, but also a temporary home for Luna until her parents came home. The house was two floors high, with white painted brick walls and a thatched roof. The property itself was only a stone's throw from the southbound main road out of Ottery St Catchpole. A six-foot-high hedge prevented any insight into the area, while Pandora had added some magical protection. Even if people climbed on top of the hedge, they would only see an empty yard. The only way to bypass the protection was to receive an personal invitation from Eleanor. The enchantments wasn't as extensive as the ones around the Lovegood house, but it was good enough for the Granger's.

The inside of the house was looking mostly modern, not unlike the other Muggle homes in the area. When the Granger's moved in, they had to renovate the entire house since it was quite worn. Thanks to some magical help from the Lovegood's, it hadn't taken long time to do this. Only the dark beams on the ceiling was left to tell about the real age of the house.

They walked into the light blue kitchen where Eleanor delegated out tasks to the girls. Neither of them said anything more than necessary while they made a simple dinner. Pandora had been gone for almost two weeks now, which meant far more tiring days for Eleanor at work. So she didn't want to hang over the pots too much, even when the two girls gave a helping hand. Not that she felt any reason to complain. When Eleanor had worked as a dentist in London, long and stressful days was a weekly experience for her. Eleanor's work at the store was like a vacation in comparison, even without the help of Pandora. It didn't take long before the dinner was done and stood on the table. Today it was spaghetti with homemade meatballs and sauce. The food was consumed in peaceful circumstances without a word.

A bit later, after finishing the dishes, Eleanor put three bowls with vanilla ice cream on the table. _"So Ginevra could have wild magic?"_ asked Eleanor after a few spoons of the ice cream. _"Do you have any evidence for this?"_

The girls first explained what Luna's mother had said about magical disturbances. Then they told about their experience inside the bookstore with the family. The only thing the two girls kept secret was the feeling of having seen the girl before.

" _Flowing water?"_ said Eleanor. Even after almost nine years in the magical world, there were still things that amazed her.

Luna nodded. _"Many believe our magic comes from an endless ocean of energy. Each time we use magic, we draw energy from this ocean. Most have limits on how much they can use, but for those like Hermione and me...it's different."_

" _Yes, I remember the evening when your mother told me about the dangers of wild magic. Without the right training and a good control of your emotions, you can..."_ Eleanor stopped for a moment and looked at the girls.

" _Mum? We know what you wanted to say and we understand,"_ said Hermione. _"Our magic can be strong, but if we don't have control, it can kill us."_

" _Sorry, but it's not a thought I like to think about. So, back to the water,"_ said Eleanor.

Hermione smiled at her mother. _"We talked about it when we carried the books today. I don't know it anyone have researched this, but we have a theory. Luna told me it's not actually water we hear, but a feeling. Our senses can't understand its true form, so instead, they use the closest one they can find."_

" _But flowing water?"_ said Eleanor.

" _Well, if the belief about the endless ocean is true, then there is a logical answer to this,"_ replied Hermione. _"After you have taken a bath in the bathtub, you empty out the water afterwards, right?"_

" _Yes, of course,"_ answered Eleanor.

" _What do you hear then?"_

" _The water which...flows...through the drain?"_ said Eleanor.

Hermione knew her mother wasn't dumb, but magic wasn't easy for her to understand. So Hermione preferred using Muggle terminology to explain things for her mother. _"Yes. Like Luna said, most people have a limit on how much energy they can use. If the water in the bathtub was magical energy, it would be like if they used spoons to empty it. But for those like Luna and me, we would pull the plug. When the water flows out, it create a vortex over the drain. It's the same thing when someone with wild magic use their abilities above the limits of others. The amount of magical energy we can use from the endless ocean creates a vortex."_

" _Those with wild magic are so sensitive to this energy that we can feel this vortex if we're close enough,"_ said Luna.

" _Okay, I understand,"_ said Eleanor with a sigh.

" _This is the reason why most of our training are meditation exercises,"_ said Hermione. _"They teach us control over our emotions. It makes it easier to not use too much magical energy and create those disturbances. Which again makes it difficult for others with wild magic to find us."_

" _Yes, Pandora told me more or less the same when I asked her about this,"_ said Eleanor. She ate the last of her ice cream and put the bowl aside. _"She also told me of another reason why Dumbledore want you to focus on your emotions first. It's all about your age."_

" _Our age?"_ said Hermione confused.

Eleanor nodded. _"So you can avoid problems later, it's important to learn control over your emotions early. When reaching your puberty, then hormones and constant mood swings will make these exercises harder. Right now, you have a reasonable control over your emotions, but it will soon change. Persuading children in their puberty to sit still and meditate is like trying to herd a flock of cats. Both end up as an exercise in frustration with many new grey hairs as a result," concluded Eleanor with a grin._

" _I thought our puberty already had begun? And I don't see any problems with it?"_ said Hermione.

" _Maybe not yet, but you're only at the beginning of it. Wait a year or two, then you'll be like the other teenagers,"_ said Eleanor.

" _Bah!"_ was Hermione's answer.

" _Eleanor, do you think Dumbledore is aware of Ginevra?"_ asked Luna.

" _I don't know. Dumbledore never say anything about the others he are training,"_ said Eleanor.

" _Mum, how old is Ginevra?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Well, I don't know the Weasley family so well. Molly has visited our bookstore a few times over the years. Mostly when one of their children need books for Hogwarts and they can't afford to buy them in Diagon Alley."_ Eleanor picked up the empty bowls from the table and washed them clean in the sink. Afterwards, she turned back towards the table. _"The Weasley's aren't a wealthy family, which makes it difficult with seven children's. School equipment isn't cheap, and when you add in the cost of clothing and food, your money don't last long. Especially when you don't have much of it to begin with. Ginevra is the youngest of the seven children and the only girl. I think she's about 7-8 years old by now."_

" _I'm not sure if Ginevra have had any training at all,"_ said Luna. _"If she had, then we wouldn't have felt a so loud disturbance from her."_

" _There could be other reasons why Ginevra's disturbance was so strong,"_ said Hermione. _"Your mother have often said we're lucky who can train together. Many of our exercises have been hard enough for the two of us, but we got through them because we have helped each other. If Ginevra is training alone, she could struggle more than us with the exercises."_

" _Hermione could be right, but only if Ginevra have wild magic. We don't know,"_ said Eleanor. _"But if she do have it, then it can't be easy for her to train. You two have each other as well as Pandora and me. With seven children, jobs and a house, it can't be easy for Ginevra's parents to find time to help the girl."_

" _Hmm, I suddenly remember that my mum once mentioned a Weasley family. They don't live so far away from here, do they?" asked Luna._

" _I think they live somewhere outside the town. Their house should be to the southeast of us. For a summer or two ago, I saw them leaving the town in that direction,"_ said Eleanor. _"Why do you ask?"_

" _Hermione, did you notice any disharmony from Ginevra?"_ asked Luna.

" _No,"_ replied Hermione while shaking her head.

" _Neither did I. It wouldn't be right of us to sit here and do nothing. We could visit the Weasleys and talk with Ginevra and ask if she need help?"_

" _No!"_ said Eleanor determined. _"I need to talk with Pandora and Dumbledore first before any of you contact Ginevra about this. If she doesn't get training or maybe aren't aware of her wild magic, it could do more harm than I wish to think about."_

" _If Ginevra have wild magic, she's aware of it,"_ said Hermione. _"Her behaviour in the store wasn't unlike how Luna and me was in the beginning."_

" _Her two brothers looked at several books while they waited for you. Ginevra only glanced at the books, scared of touching them,"_ said Luna.

" _It doesn't matter. I forbid you from mentioning wild magic to Ginevra until we're sure. Understood?"_ said Eleanor.

" _Yes, mother,"_ answered Hermione.

" _Of course, Eleanor,"_ said Luna.

" _Mum, can we go out for a while?"_

Eleanor peered out the window towards the dark clouds. _"Okay, but take your raincoats with you. The clouds seem to be heavy with rain."_

With those words, Hermione jumped down from her chair and pulled Luna to the front door. They picked up the raincoats from the hooks and opened the door.

" _Come home before 10 o'clock. Vacation or not, you both need sleep,"_ was the last Eleanor managed to say before the door closed behind the girls. She looked out the window and saw the girls run across the courtyard and out the gate. For the next ten minutes or so, she stood there staring at the ever darker clouds in the sky. An uncomfortable feeling grew in her every second now. There had been something special in her daughter's eyes when Hermione had asked if they could go out. Eleanor had perhaps no magic, but she had become very good at reading other people in the recent years. It was a necessary trait when Hermione's magic was so linked to her emotional status.

Up on the perch beside the window, Ariel gave off a small screech to comfort the woman.

" _You noticed it too?"_ asked Eleanor. _"That something has changed?"_

The falcon screeched again.

" _I thought so,"_ replied Eleanor with a sigh. From one of the drawers, she pulled out a writing block and a pen. _"I'm afraid that you've to deliver a message for me."_

 **-XXXXXXX-**

" _Hermione, why are we going back to the town?"_ asked Luna.

" _Because I want to check on something and the library is the best place for that,"_ said Hermione as she briskly was heading towards Ottery St Catchpole.

" _What do you want to check?"_

Hermione halted and pulled up the inch thick book she had been reading on throughout the day. _"Chapter 14,"_ she said and stuck the book into Luna's hand.

" _Inheritance through magical blood?"_ could Luna read on the front. _"Not something you're usually reading. What's so special about this book?"_

" _Leonard Craven wrote that book in 1572. He was a wizard who researched how magic has been inherited between generations. It contain several of Craven's theories from his research. All of them have since been disproved by others,"_ said Hermione. She had again begin wandering towards the town.

Luna did her best to keep up with the other girl while she turned the pages to chapter 14. _"Magic and soul?"_

" _I'll explain when we get to the library,"_ said Hermione as the girls reached the town.

" _Which of them?"_

" _Our own, of course,"_ said Hermione. She looked around and whispered, _"I need to find some copies of magical research."_

Luna closed the book and followed quietly after the brunette.

The magical community's library was in the same street as their mothers bookstore. On a brick wall, between two Muggle stores, there was a door with carvings of magical creatures. This was the hidden entrance to the library. Like Eleanor and Pandora's bookstore, it was hidden from Muggle eyes with magic. Hermione pushed on one of the carved creatures wings while she twisted the door handle. The door opened itself inwards without a sound.

They came into a medium sized room with panel wall in oak, light birch floors and a white painted roof with thick oak beams across. Along the walls, there were several round tables with chairs in the same birch as the floor. This evening was all the tables empty, which wasn't uncommon in the summer. In one corner of the room, a desk stood in front of a tall, lit fireplace of black stone. Behind the desk, a wizard in his early fifties sat with short, grey hair and horn-rimmed glasses. The librarian was reading on a book, but when the girls approached, he lifted his eyes towards them.

" _Good evening, Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood,"_ said the librarian.

" _Good evening, Tobias,"_ said Hermione and Luna almost unanimous.

" _What can I help the two of you with today?"_

" _I'm looking for research on a theory which Leonard Craven wrote in his book from 1572,"_ said Hermione.

" _Okay,"_ replied Tobias with a tiny smile. _"Could you be a little more specific? This person is unknown to me, so I'll need some help."_

" _Give the book to Tobias."_

Luna did as she was told and handed the book to the librarian.

" _In chapter 14, Craven describes a theory that magic isn't inherited through the blood. Instead, he believed our magic were separated out as its own part after our death. Craven wasn't sure how this worked, but he guessed it could be in a form of a soul. This magical soul wanders around, like a ghost, but invisible to any normal eyes. When they find a worthy host, they will give their magic to the chosen person."_

" _Phew, it's never boring when you two comes here,"_ said Tobias. He wrote down this information on a card, looked through the book and wrote some more on the card. Then he returned the book and said, _"I'll send the request to the central library in London. They should have a better knowledge if there's been some research on this subject. Do you wish to wait? The library is open for a few more hours."_

" _Is it okay for you to wait, Luna?"_ asked Hermione.

" _We can wait a little while at least,"_ answered Luna.

Tobias turned around and threw the card into the lit fireplace. The flames changed shortly into emerald green before they returned to the usual colours. _"I'm not sure how long this will take. It's low season for the libraries at the summer, but your request is so unusual it could take some time."_

" _We have vacation, so time isn't a problem for us. Thank you, Tobias,"_ said Hermione. Then she brought Luna to the table the furthest away from Tobias' desk.

When they sat at the table, didn't Luna take her eyes away from the brunette. _"Tobias is so kind. He never ask why we wish to know everything we ask about."_

" _Tobias has been working here since he finished Hogwarts. I would guess he's accustomed to strange requests by now,"_ said Hermione.

" _Perhaps. Now, why are you so interested in this theory?"_

" _I found that book in the storage room of the store for a couple of days ago. Like you said, its not the kind of book I usually read,"_ said Hermione. _"To be honest, I don't even know why I began reading it. I just...did it."_

" _Sometimes we do things today, which we won't understand before tomorrow,"_ said Luna with a smile.

Hermione raised her eyebrows a little and smiled back. The logic in Luna's answer was absent, at least for Hermione, but she didn't say anything. The two girls had perhaps the same kind of magic, but it was one of the few things they had in common. Hermione's mind and actions had always been bound by the need for control and knowledge before she did anything. Luna was more carefree in her choices and took each day as they came. Despite this huge difference, the girls had become inseparable over the years. _"Well, I've read all the chapters several times, but chapter 14 is the one I can't get out of my head. Which is weird since it's the one I have the least belief in. The other theories in the book seemed much more realistic."_

" _But?"_ said Luna with an anticipating smile.

" _I looked through many of the books in the store, to my mother's annoyance, and found some confusing answers. All of Craven's theories have been rejected by later research, except the one in chapter 14."_

" _So the theory could be true?"_

" _I don't know,"_ said Hermione with a sigh. _"I couldn't find a single book which mention this theory at all. That's why I wanted to come here and see if they could find something for me in London."_

" _What if they don't find anything? Maybe people have shared your belief in that theory and haven't seen a reason to research it?"_

" _I think someone have done it, but for unknown reasons it's hard to find the information on this. There are 21 theories in the book, but only 20 of them have been looked into? From a scientific view, it doesn't make any sense."_

" _Why is this chapter so important for you?"_ asked Luna.

" _Because when we were down by the pond today, I looked through the chapter again. This time I read everything and found something that made me wonder."_

" _That's nothing new since you always wonder about something,"_ said Luna with a teasing smile.

" _Anyway,"_ replied Hermione blushing. _"Craven had talked with several witches and wizards who lived in his time. These people had told about events where they had met other people who at the time where unknown to them. But they also told that these unknown people gave them an intense feeling of having seen them before. Sounds familiar?"_

" _It's like the feeling we had for Ginevra,"_ said Luna.

" _Exactly the same. While we helped my mother with the books, I couldn't avoid thinking about some of the names in Craven's book. It was as if I had seen them before, but I wasn't sure where. It wasn't until we drove home that I remembered. So while you helped my mum with the dinner, I...snuck away for a few minutes."_

" _I know. You told me you needed to visit the bathroom, but you spent a lot more time than usual."_ said Luna.

" _Sorry for that lie. In fact, I wasn't at the bathroom at all, but upstairs in my room where I read one of the books Dumbledore gave us. The one with the names of the former us."_

" _Oh?"_

Hermione nodded. _"As you know, the names in that book goes all the way back to when they built Hogwarts. They come from the archive which Rowena Ravenclaw maintained for as long as she lived. Rowena created it because she wanted to see if the school's education was effective. The names of each student who have attended Hogwarts is in that archive. It not only contains information about how they did it at school, but also about their lives after Hogwarts. After her death, Godric Gryffindor took over the responsibility for the archive. Since then, the school's Headmaster has continued to update it every year. Because of the archive's accuracy, Dumbledore could find every former students in the schools' history with our kind of magic."_

" _I don't remember that Dumbledore told us how he found the names, so how do you know?"_

" _You're not the only one who has overheard Dumbledore,"_ said Hermione satisfied. _"While you were reading the book in my room the day we got it, I went down to the kitchen to find something to drink. There I heard Dumbledore arguing with our mothers in the living room. I'm not sure how their discussion started, but they talked about the archive and Rowena."_

Luna sighed. _"My mother have had a lot of arguments with Dumbledore lately. I'm wondering if he's doing it on purpose."_ The blonde girl looked absent into the ceiling.

" _Do you mean he starts arguments on purpose?"_

" _No. I thought about how he always seems to talk about something important when we're nearby,"_ said Luna. _"If we can sense others like us, wouldn't Dumbledore be able to detect when we're close to him?"_

" _Yes, but part of our training is to prevent this from happening,"_ said Hermione. _"But on the other side, Dumbledore is considered to be the strongest wizard in the world. He is also the most experienced in our kind of magic, so maybe...? But why would he do something like this?"_

" _Because of our mothers. The most common reasons for my mum's arguments with Dumbledore is how much he tells us about our magic. She believe he's going too fast forwards despite our young age. That we should be allowed to behave more like ordinary children and don't spend all our time on magic alone."_

" _But we're not normal children. No matter how we look at it, we will always be different from everyone else,"_ said Hermione with a sigh.

" _I know that, but maybe...maybe we could..."_ Luna stopped and stared down at the table.

" _Our lives are already decided because of our magic. Yes, we're children, but only on the outside. If other people knew the truth about us, then our age wouldn't affect how they did see us. They would either begin running for their life or hate us as if we were monsters. Our magic is feared because only the negative events in the last centuries are known to people. I don't see a reason why this mindset will change in our time."_ Hermione looked towards Tobias, but the librarian was occupied with a book on his desk. _"But I guess you're right. It wouldn't be unlike Dumbledore to do such a thing."_

Although it was clear that this thought still bothered her, Luna decided to change the theme. _"Did you find what you were looking for in the book?"_

" _Yes,"_ replied Hermione with a nod. _"The names I had seen in Craven's book was, except from one, also in Dumbledore's book."_

" _They all had…"_

"… _our magic,"_ said Hermione with another nod. _"That's why I'm hoping someone has researched the theory in chapter 14 as well. Maybe we will find more names that match those in Dumbledore's book."_

" _Hush, Tobias is coming,"_ said Luna.

Soon after, Tobias came to the girls table with a positive smile. _"I've received a crate from the main library which contains what they could find around your request. It's quite heavy, so I've put on a temporary Charm to reduce its weight for you. Could you come over to my desk for a moment?"_

The girls followed after the librarian. On his desk, they could see the wooden crate, 5-6 inches tall and nearly double that in length and width.

" _I'm somewhat surprised they found so much about this subject,"_ said Tobias and put a parchment on top of the crate. _"Could one of you sign this to confirm that you've received the crate and its content?"_

Hermione picked up the feather pen and wrote her name on the bottom line of the parchment.

" _Thank you. Here is the key to open the crate,"_ said Tobias and handed over a small key. _"Everything inside is copies, so you don't need to return any of them. I would however not wait too long before taking the crate home as my Charm doesn't last longer than an hour."_

" _Thanks again for the help,"_ said Hermione. She grabbed the handle on the side of the crate and lifted it with ease.

" _It's me who should thank you. Most people only ask after the more ordinary things when they come here and most of it are quite boring. That's why I'm glad when I see you coming here,"_ said Tobias smiling. _"Your requests are always so much more interesting and it makes my day less dull."_

They said their goodbyes to the librarian and walked out on the street.

Hermione lifted the crate up and down a few times. _"I've to agree with Tobias about how unexpected much they could find. What I found about the other theories was mostly in thin books, or small parts from within larger ones."_

" _You seem a bit disappointed because of this. I thought it would make you happy?"_ said Luna.

" _So would I, but why do I then have this bad feeling?"_ replied Hermione and shrugged on her shoulders. _"Let's go home and open it."_

 **-XXXXXXX-**

A while later they came storming into the hallway of the Granger house. The expected rain was pouring down outside and had made the girls soaked from top to toe.

" _Why didn't you use your raincoats?"_ asked Eleanor from the doorway into the kitchen.

" _There were only a few raindrops to begin with, so we hoped to get home before it got worse,"_ said Luna.

" _But when we stood at the gate, all off the rain came at once. At that moment we were already wet, so we ran over the courtyard,"_ continued Hermione.

Eleanor sighed and took a sip of the tea she held in her hand. _"Well, get upstairs and change into some dry clothes. No reason for you to become sick. What's in the crate?"_

" _Books. From the library,"_ replied Hermione.

" _Don't you have enough of them in your room already?"_ said Eleanor, but shrugged on her shoulders and went back into the kitchen again.

" _Come, let us go up before she comes back,"_ whispered Hermione and went up the stairs to the second floor.

The girls dried their hair and switched to dry clothes, before they sat on the floor inside Hermione's bedroom. At the first impression of the room, few would have guessed that an almost 11-year-old girl lived here. There was a wide bed under the window in one corner, a large desk below the other window and a wooden wardrobe against the wall. But this was all that reminded of a bedroom. The room had blue walls, but you couldn't see them because they were all covered with bookshelves. Books in every size and shape filled the shelves to the brim. Everything of course arranged in alphabetical order and after theme. Most of them was about magic in one form or another, but there was also books from the Muggle world there.

Eleanor often complained about all the books in the room, but she didn't do it too loud. Particularly because Eleanor knew she had given her daughter most of the books in here. The bookstore was doing well, but some books didn't sell, or came in too large quantities. Instead of putting them in a storage, these books often ended up on Hermione's shelves. This was to the girl's immense delight, but Eleanor had never thought her daughter would keep them all.

" _How much do you think the crate contains?"_ asked Hermione, sitting on the floor with the crate between herself and Luna.

Luna knocked lightly on several sides of the crate. _"Quite a lot. It's like a massive lump of wood."_

" _Let's find out,"_ said Hermione. She stuck the little key into the hole on top of the crate and twisted the key around. A small click followed, and the lid lifted itself enough so she could push it aside. _"Wow!"_ said Hermione when she saw the content inside.

" _I was right,"_ said Luna with a grin.

The crate was so filled with parchments, books and folders that there wasn't even room for a single sheet of paper between them. The two girls picked out all the content and sorted it on the floor by date. When the crate finally was empty, there were 17 smaller piles around them. Some of them contained only a thin folder while a few others had both books and parchments.

" _Where do we begin?"_ asked Luna.

" _When I studied the research on the other theories, not everyone was doing a proper job. Sometimes I came across those who only wanted to ridiculed Craven's theories_ _. Let's make sure there isn't anyone of them here,"_ said Hermione. She stretched out after the closest of the piles and begun reading one of the files there.

It took them almost an hour to go through everything, but the result was quite disappointing. Out of the 17 heaps from the beginning, only four of them were left in front of the girls. The 13 others had been placed back in the crate. They had been either an attempt to make the theory look like a joke or turned out to have nothing to do with it at all.

" _Hermione, I don't think people liked Craven,"_ said Luna. _"I've often read research on magic creatures together with my mother. There are of course some who don't agree on everything there also, but not in such amounts like this."_

" _It's a sore subject for many witches and wizards. Going against the general perception of how magic is inherited is risky. Even in our days, there is a chance that people will laugh of you."_

" _Many of the old families believe their blood status gives them more rights than others. My mother thinks they are prejudiced and ignorant,"_ said Luna.

" _I've heard about that,"_ said Hermione while she looked through a book. _"This was written by Brangwen Griffin in 1832. She writes about much of the same as Craven, but none of the names stands here. The other remaining books aren't any better, but I assumed the chance of finding more names would be tiny."_ She stretched herself out on the floor and looked up at the ceiling.

" _Oh, why?"_ asked Luna as she lay down next to the other girl.

Hermione rolled over on the side so she could see Luna's face. _"Craven wrote the book in 1572. That year, the witch hunts in Europe was in one of its worst periods, especially in Germany."_

" _The beginning at the end where the Muggles and we could live together."_

" _Yes. It wasn't a good time for anyone, not for Muggles or those with real magic. Most of the true witches who were sentenced to death, escaped using their magic, but not everyone. Many innocent Muggles were also wrongly tortured and executed because people feared magic"_

" _My mother told me about that time,"_ said Luna. _"Muggles and wizards who had lived together in peace, started to fear each other. Both sides accused the other part to be the cause of their problems. Mother said that many of our people stopped caring about what the Muggles did to each other. She described it as; Better them than us mentality."_

" _Not everyone from the magical community followed that mentality."_

" _Perhaps it's true. I know that some of our people did what they could to save some of the Muggles, but there were few of those."_

" _Even so, it don't explain why those who looked into Craven's research, aren't mentioning the names of the people they talked with. After all, it wasn't as if the Muggles would have a chance to read it anyway,"_ said Hermione. _"It only confirms what Dumbledore told me then."_ When she saw the confusion in Luna's face, Hermione sighed. " _I didn't mean to say those last words out loud."_

" _Why not?"_ asked Luna.

" _Because...because what Dumbledore told me isn't particularly pleasant knowledge. It's a rather grim and dark part of the magical history, something very few knows about. Are you sure you want to know?"_

" _It's weird to hear you asking like that,"_ said Luna with a smile. _"Secrets is something you're very fond of, so hearing you offer one of them so quickly is rare."_

Hermione raised her eyebrows. _"It's not a secret. I only haven't had a reason to tell you about it before now. I don't keep anything secret from you. You know that?"_

Luna nodded.

" _I read a lot and not everything seem to be important to others, so I forget to tell about it,"_ said Hermione. She hesitated for a moment, before she whispered, _"but you're right this time. Maybe I haven't told you because I didn't wish to."_

" _You don't have to say anything."_

" _I wish it was that easy, but what's the point. If I'm not telling you about it today, you'll find out later, and then it could be too late."_

" _Is it that bad?"_

" _Yes, it's very depressing,"_ said Hermione. _"When you did read the book Dumbledore gave us, did you notice anything special about the names there?"_

" _Nothing I remember right now. Why?"_ said Luna.

" _Most of the names are from before the 16th century. After that, there are fewer names and the time between them are much further than before. I found this strange and illogical. Should it not be easier for Dumbledore to find traces after other like us the closer we come to our own time? One evening when Dumbledore was visiting, I asked him about this,"_ said Hermione.

" _Did he answer you?"_

" _Not until my mother left the room to sort the laundry. Then Dumbledore told me about an event in the magical world from around the same time as the witch hunts. I sort of promised to not tell others about it, so you have to keep it for yourself, okay?"_

" _I promise,"_ said Luna.

Hermione took a deep breath and started telling. _"While the Muggles was looking for witches, a similar thing happened inside the magical community. A group of people meant that those with our kind of magic was the reason for the Muggles witch hunt. They claimed that wild magic users hadn't 'suppressed' their abilities well enough. Because of this, even Muggles who had lived among people with magic, begun to fear them."_

" _But that's not true! My mum told me both sides has the blame for the witch hunts. Most of the Muggles didn't try to understand magic, while very few of our people made attempts on explaining it."_ Luna sighed. _"Even today you still see this attitude among our people. Witches and wizards who believe magic is too hard for Muggles to understand and that it's safer to keep it hidden."_

" _Unfortunately, yes,"_ replied Hermione. _"Dumbledore said almost the same thing to me. The sad thing is that this group did know about this view and used it to their advantage._ _This f_ _action had always hated us, but had been ignored by most people until the end of the 16th century._ _As the_ _wizarding worlds relationship to the Muggles became worse, this group found ways to convert people to their crazy ideas_. _Wild magic has never had a good reputation, but what happened around that time, made it worse._ _Soon, a 'hunt' after those with wild magic had begun, where they used the Muggles witch hunt to cover their tracks. The Wizards' Council tried to stop this, but most of the population at this time didn't listen to them."_

Luna gripped Hermione's hand and squeezed it lightly. The blond girl's eyes showed an understanding that it wasn't easy for Hermione to talk about this.

With a reassuring smile, Hermione continued the explanation. _"Not that the Council's stance on the matter had much to say since this group wasn't afraid of them. It wasn't until the establishment of the Ministry of Magic that these 'hunts' was stopped, but by then it was too late. Peoples belief in wild magic had been damaged too much and its reputation was worse than ever. The few who survived the hunt were hiding, while rarely appearing among other people. Nothing was done for those who had suffered during these events. Instead, the Ministry of Magic hid everything in a secret archive for eternal time. Over time, most of the population forgot about wild magic."_

" _And since then, the few who remember wild magic, look at it as something unnatural and feared without knowing why,"_ said Luna almost in tears. _"A fear we must live with the rest of our lives. When not even the mighty Dumbledore dares to change people's view, what chance do we have?"_

" _Luna, do not despair. We have each other and every problem we come across, we'll handle them together. I'll never leave you. You and me, Luna,"_ said Hermione. Most believed that the blond girl never had any worries, but it was only a mask she wore to keep her fear under control. Hermione carried the same fear, except she had chosen to hide it with knowledge instead.

" _I know, but…"_ said Luna, but stopped when they heard someone coming up the stairs.

After a brief knock on the door, it was opened by Eleanor. _"It's time for supper, girls."_ She looked at the four remaining piles on the floor and the open crate. _"I see you have been busy. Clean up on the floor and come down to eat. It's almost bedtime. You can continue tomorrow."_ With that, Eleanor disappeared down the stairs again.

Hermione and Luna put the other books back in the crate and locked it.

" _What shall we do tomorrow? Look for more information?"_ asked Luna.

" _In a way. I think we should find Ginevra and talk with her, but we have to wait until my mother has gone to work."_

" _But we promised not to say anything to her?"_

" _True, but we can still visit her without saying anything about wild magic,"_ said Hermione with a smile.

" _What will you say to her then?"_ said Luna as she followed Hermione out of the room.

" _We'll find something,"_ said Hermione.

 **-XXXXXXX-**

 **Close to The Burrow, morning, Thursday, 19th July. 1990.**

" _I'm not sure if this is wise,"_ said Luna.

" _Admit it. You're as curious about this as me,"_ replied Hermione.

" _Yes, I would like to know more about Ginevra, but that's not the point. We gave your mother a promise and we should keep that."_

Despite Luna's protests, the two girls had left the Granger house just after breakfast. None of them knew where the Weasley family lived, but the girls had walked in a southeast direction since Eleanor believed the house could be there. Within a short time, they had come across a narrow dirt road which they chose to follow further. At the end of the road, the girls had found a rather odd building next to a large pond. The whole house was a patchwork of several floors, shaped like a strange S from the side. The top floors were perhaps the weirdest of all there they seemed to ignore the law of gravity. They teasingly clung to a fragile support, which under normal circumstances shouldn't have been able to hold up such weight.

The two girls hid under some large bushes that separated the house from a nearby meadow. From there, they could see what had to be the house entrance with a fenced garden right outside. Now they had to wait for a sign on who lived here.

" _Have you thought about what you will say to Ginevra if this is where she lives?"_ asked Luna.

" _To be honest, no,"_ answered Hermione.

" _Then we must, as you say, improvise?"_

" _Improvised plans aren't exactly what I'm good at,"_ said Hermione. _"I was hoping you would have an idea on how we get in contact with her? Your understanding of other people are better than my own, so perhaps you could..."_ When she realised what she was saying, her words faded. _"Sorry, Luna. You were right. This isn't so wise of us. It's childish and selfish of me to force this on you, only to satisfy my curiosity. Shall we go home and find another way?"_

" _We could make a try,"_ said Luna, pointing towards the house.

Hermione turned her eyes towards the house again and saw Ginevra standing outside. The redheaded girl looked around before she walked in the direction of the pond. From there, she followed the edge of the pond a little before she disappeared behind the house.

" _I wonder where she's going?"_ asked Hermione.

" _She didn't seem to be happy."_

" _Let's follow and see what she's doing,"_ said Hermione. _"And I owe you a big favour now."_

" _Yes, you do."_

The girls walked along the bushes while they tried to stay in the shadow. They could soon see the back of the house, but Ginevra wasn't there.

" _Where did she go?"_ asked Hermione.

" _There she is!"_ said Luna. _"At the southern end of the pond. Do you see her?"_

Hermione looked closely and could soon see Ginevra's red hair among the grass on the other side of the pond. _"What's she doing so far from the house?"_

" _Maybe she enjoy walks in the morning. Like we do?"_ said Luna with a smile.

" _Maybe,"_ said Hermione with a giggle. The days when Luna was staying with the Granger's, the two girls had regular walks, early in the morning every day. If anyone else had tried to drag Hermione out that early, they would have received a firm no from the girl. Unless it was Luna who asked. As long as Hermione could remember, she always have had this feeling that she had to keep watch over the blond girl and make sure she was safe. So Hermione walked with Luna each time, even when the brunette would rather sleep.

" _Shall we leave her alone?"_ asked Luna.

" _If we want to talk with her, then this could be our best chance,"_ said Hermione. _"We can follow the bushes until they reach the tall grass. From there, it would be easy for us to follow her without being seen from the house."_ Without waiting for an answer, she walked down along the bushes with Luna right behind.

They reached the grass in a short time and carefully stepped into it. It didn't take long for the girls to find out where Ginevra had walked, but what they saw was a bit surprising. Instead of fresh tracks, they stood on a well-used trail.

" _It seems like it's not her first time here,"_ whispered Luna.

" _How do you know?"_ asked Hermione astonished.

Luna pointed towards an unclear pattern in the moist soil. _"There is only one footprint here from the same shoe. Since Ginevra is the youngest of the family, her tracks are small and shallow. If anyone else had walked after her, their greater weight would have left behind a much clearer trace."_

" _I didn't know you could interpret footprints like that?"_ said Hermione. _"I've seen how you can find even the slightest of traces from magical creatures and other animals, but humans?"_

" _I learned the basic techniques from my mother the last time we were in Brazil. We were looking for a rare lizard, the Flying Pearl Iguana. Its skin is made of small pearls that can be used in certain potions. It's illegal to hunt it, but the poachers does it anyway since the black market pays a lot for the skin."_ For a moment, Luna seemed to be lost in her own world. _"It's dangerous to encounter these poachers, so my mother wanted me to be able to find them before they did. She taught me how to track footprints and how to interpret the behaviour of that person. Ginevra isn't a poacher, but the technique works for her tracks as well."_

" _It seems to be a useful trait. I regret now that I didn't say yes when your mother invited me to come with you,"_ said Hermione.

" _If you have the patience for it, I could teach you,"_ said Luna with a huge smile.

" _I would love to learn and I always have patience for you,"_ replied Hermione.

" _Always?"_ said Luna.

Hermione sighed. _"Well, maybe not so much when it comes to magical creatures, but I'm trying."_

" _Close enough. Shall we find Ginevra?"_ said Luna.

The girls followed the trail around the pond, but when they reached the other side, there were no sign of Ginevra.

" _Where now? The trail splits here,"_ whispered Hermione. She looked across the pond towards the Weasley house. _"One of them seems to continue around and back to the house, but she hasn't gone home. We would have seen her then if that was the case."_

" _What about the trail which goes into the forest?"_

Hermione studied the dense forest in front of them and didn't like what she saw. The trail stopped right where the forest began, and the terrain was rough with a lot of dry scrub. _"Will you be able to track her in there?"_

" _I'm not sure. I haven't learned to find tracks in tough terrain yet. If the ground is dry, it will be too difficult for me,"_ said Luna.

" _SHUT…UP!"_ cried a voice suddenly from within the forest.

" _Was that her?"_ asked Luna.

" _It could be. Let us find out,"_ answered Hermione.

Both girls went towards where they had heard the shout. The ground inside the forest was dry, just as Luna had feared. If the one who had shouted weren't Ginevra, the girls would then have reached a dead end in their pursuit of the girl. They had to watch where they placed their feet to not step on any dead branches and avoid getting stuck in a scrub. None of them wanted to make any sounds which could scare away whoever had shouted.

After a few minutes of careful walking, Hermione spotted a small clearing ahead of them. She immediately gave Luna a sign that they should hide behind the nearest tree. _"It was Ginevra who shouted and she's only a few yards away from us. I also know why she was so angry,"_ whispered Hermione, while she pointed around the tree.

Luna leaned forward and cautiously looked around the tree. There she saw Ginevra, sitting with her back towards them on a large, flat stone. Around her head, 14 shining bells was floating around in a unpredictable pattern.

" _Aren't those the same bells we struggled with for nearly two years?"_ asked Luna when she again sat behind the tree. _"Those who hovered around us, triggering negative emotions in our heads while we tried to meditate?"_

" _It looks like them. So it seems that Ginevra also are receiving training from Dumbledore,"_ whispered Hermione.

" _I didn't like those bells,"_ whispered Luna back. _"They were rude."_

" _Well, that was what they were build for. The whole point of the exercise was to maintain a strong focus and not allow the negative emotions to affect us. It did take us some time, but we found the answer in the end,"_ said Hermione. She looked at Luna, pushing away some strands of hair from the girls eyes. _"Or more correctly, it was you who found the solution."_

" _Just luck,"_ said Luna while her cheeks got a slight pink colour.

" _Hogwash. You understood it because you're better at this than me,"_ said Hermione. _"I know that my logical thinking makes me emotionally clueless at times. If we had been waiting for me to figure it out, we would still be sitting there today and complained. You're different. Even in my wildest dreams, I wouldn't be able to see things the way you do."_

" _You would have found them also if you had been less impatient. My mother said you have a brilliant mind and I agree. But you don't trust your own instinct enough,"_ said Luna with a glance towards the top of the tree. _"Not all answers comes from a book. Remember what Dumbledore told us before the exercise? Negative thoughts are not a friend, but others might be. Others, like you and me?"_

" _I know. We began thinking about each other and the memories we had together. In the end, the negative emotions in the bells couldn't reach us any longer. We had found a strength in each other which protected us,"_ said Hermione. She sighed and looked into the ground. _"I can't think like that. Despite all my knowledge, I get lost in my logic when it comes to those things."_

" _Come closer, and I'll tell you a truth or two, you…you,"_ said Ginevra from the other side of the tree. One of the bells had apparently said something it shouldn't have.

" _And I'm not alone with this problem,"_ whispered Hermione while she glanced around the tree.

" _What shall we do?"_ asked Luna. _"We can't go over to her now."_

Hermione tapped her fingers on the knee for a moment while she pondered on what would be the best solution. _"We could go home and try later, but like I said, I'm not sure if we will get another chance."_ She took a deep breath and listen to the wind blowing through the trees. _"A part of me wants to go and talk with Ginevra now. That it's important and I should not wait. Would you say it's my instinct telling me this?"_

" _It could be,"_ replied Luna, but she didn't seem to be sure.

" _So what are we going to do then? Follow my logic or my 'instinct'?"_

" _I want to help Ginevra as much as you, but doing so would break my promise to your mother. As a guest in your house, it's not wise to make her angry and…"_

" _Luna, you won't be thrown out of the house,"_ interrupted Hermione. _"You've stayed so often in our house by now that my mother thinks of you as her second daughter. She'll of course not be happy, but she has always said I should help those who need it. Right now, it's Ginevra who needs our help, but I'll only do it if you agree. You and me, Luna. You remember?"_

" _Yes, I remember. You're telling me that often,"_ replied Luna. She looked again around the tree at the still struggling Ginevra. _"How sure are you on that it's Dumbledore's exercise and not something similar?"_

" _Totally sure. Dumbledore said he had personally developed that training."_

For a while, Luna seemed to be drawn between what she should choose. _"If we help her now, I go against my promise to your mother. If we don't help her, then I go against my own advice to you about trusting more on your instinct. Either way, my words lose their value for some."_

" _Never!"_ said Hermione nearly shouting. Then she clapped her hands in front of her mouth and looked towards where Ginevra sat. Fortunately, the girl seemed too focused on her own problems to have heard Hermione. _"I can be a bit slow at times to understand, but I will always trust your words,"_ whispered Hermione.

" _You're too kind, but..."_

" _Luna, stop!"_ said Hermione a bit stricter than she had intended. _"Since the first time we met, I have always trusted you without a doubt. You would have to do a lot of crazy things for this to change, but even then I would still trust you. What should I do without your wise words?"_

" _Thanks,"_ was all Luna managed to say in response.

" _Now, go home and wait for me,"_ said Hermione.

" _Why? What are you going to do?"_

" _If you leave now, then you won't be breaking your promise to my mother,"_ said Hermione. _"She can't say anything if you're not here when I talk with Ginevra."_ Hermione waited for the Luna to leave, but the girl instead grabbed Hermione's hand.

" _No, I'm coming with you."_

Hermione was about to ask if Luna was sure, but the blond girl's eyes made this question unnecessary. _"Okay, let's see if we can't share our so-called wisdom with Ginevra."_

Luna nodded back as an answer.

The girls walked out from behind the tree and towards the still unsuspecting redheaded girl.

" _Don't waste your energy with yelling at them, Ginevra. They don't care,"_ said Hermione. Ginevra turned her head so fast around that Hermione for a moment was afraid the girl's neck would break.

" _What…who are you?"_ said Ginevra.

" _Someone who wish to help you,"_ said Luna.

" _Help me? With what? I don't need help,"_ said Ginevra. She stood up and began picking up the bells which had fallen on the ground.

Hermione took one of the bells which had rolled over to her and looked at it. _"It's Dumbledore's bells, no doubt,"_ she said and showed it to Luna. _"It have an engraved Scottish thistle on it with a hidden D inside the engraving. The same as it was on ours."_

" _Yours?"_ asked Ginevra with her hand full of bells. _"You know Dumbledore? In person?"_

" _Dumbledore gave you these bells to learn control of your emotions, right?"_ said Hermione and handed over the last bell to Ginevra. _"So when you start with the practical training at Hogwarts, you'll be able to focus better on your magic."_

" _We saw you in the bookstore. You have the same magic like us,"_ said Luna.

" _You're like me?"_ said Ginevra hushed. _"Why should I believe you? Do you've any evidence for this?"_

" _They speak the truth, Miss Weasley,"_ said a voice suddenly from behind Hermione and Luna.

The girls turned around and saw Dumbledore walking with ease through the woods.

" _I wasn't expecting to see you here,"_ said Hermione.

" _Perhaps not, Miss Granger, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm here,"_ replied Dumbledore with a smile. _"Your mother guessed you would seek out Miss Weasley. An honourable idea I would say, but also quite foolish of you both. Miss Weasley's hesitation should be proof enough for this. This is why I've recommended you not to search for others with wild magic."_

" _It wouldn't have been necessary if you had introduced us to her earlier,"_ said Hermione. _"She obviously need help. Luna and I are only waiting to get old enough for Hogwarts. We could have helped Ginevra instead of wasting our time."_

" _Wasting your time, you say? Are you the same Miss Granger I've met before? The girl who always complains about that she never have enough time to read all the books she would like?"_ said Dumbledore with a poorly concealed grin.

" _It's true that there are many books I wish to read, but it wouldn't be fair to Luna,"_ said Hermione and looked with a gentle smile on the blond. _"Her friendship is more valuable than any book I've come across."_ It didn't take long before Luna's reaction to these words appeared. Hermione couldn't avoid thinking that the girls' blush made Luna so adorable. Maybe it was wrong by Hermione to look at her friend in this way, but lately, she hadn't managed to stop it.

" _If Dumbledore didn't tell you about me, then who did?"_ asked Ginevra.

" _By chance, Miss Weasley,"_ answered Dumbledore. _"This two has discovered an ability which is unique to those with wild magic. You see, all creatures with magical abilities get their energy from the same source. Most believe it to be a myth, but we know better. Unlike so many others, we can feel and hear this energy. You would however need much training before you can do this."_

" _But how could we hear Ginevra without training?"_ said Hermione.

" _Like I said, by chance,"_ said Dumbledore. _"You and Miss Lovegood have exceeded my expectations with your training. You are therefore ahead of the expected schedule."_ He turned towards Ginevra. _"Miss Weasley is however behind the schedule. This difference between you three was what made it possible to hear the disturbance from her lack of control."_

" _Ginevra, how old are you?"_ asked Luna.

Ginevra sighed heavily. _"I'll be 9 in August. Why do you want to know?"_

" _The exercise you did today, it doesn't go so well for you?"_ asked Luna.

" _Not really,"_ said Ginevra while she repeatedly kicked a tree root. _"I'm screwed, right?"_

" _Not necessarily, Miss Weasley,"_ said Dumbledore. _"These two completed your exercise for four years ago, when they were around seven years old. Of course, they had the advantage of helping each other under the training."_

" _Lucky me then, but is nothing new for me to lag behind schedule,"_ muttered _Ginevra. "My parents are doing what they can to help me, but their time is limited. My father works long days and is thus too tired most of the time to help me. And my mother are taking care of the house and my four brothers who still live at home. So I'm mostly alone under my training."_

" _I'm sorry your family's situation hasn't made things easy for you,"_ said Dumbledore. _"That's why I've found a solution which should help you with your lost time. Would you be so kind to accompany me back to your house? I need to talk with your parents about your further training."_ Then the Headmaster turned to the other two girls. _"Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood, I talked with your mothers this morning. If I were to find you here, then I should tell you both to come home at once."_

" _Uh-oh!" said Hermione._

 **-XXXXXXX-**

It did take Hermione and Luna over twenty minutes to get home. They hadn't said a single word on the way. Their minds was too busy with considering what would be waiting for them. But when they saw Eleanor's car outside the house, they realised how serious their problem was.

" _Mum is home?"_ said Hermione. She turned to Luna. _"No matter what happens in there, I'll take all the blame. It was my idea to seek out Ginevra despite what you said."_

" _You don't have to do that for me. I didn't protest too hard,"_ said Luna with a reassuring smile. _"Perhaps I was just as curious as you."_

" _Hermione! Luna! Get inside now!"_ said Eleanor from the open front door.

The girls crossed the courtyard and entered the house.

Inside the hallway, Hermione turned to her mother who closed the door behind them. _"Mum, I'm sorry. You've always said I should help people when I could, and I felt that Ginevra needed my help. Don't punish Luna for what was my idea all along."_

" _None of you will be punished…this time,"_ said Pandora as she came out of the kitchen.

" _Mum? Are you here? But I thought you wouldn't come home before tomorrow?"_ said Luna and threw herself around her mother in joy.

" _It was the original plan, but Dumbledore contacted some friends at the Ministry in Japan. They got the paperwork done within an hour,"_ said Pandora and hugged her daughter back. _"Your father is at the house and already planning the next issue of The Quibbler. He was everywhere during our time in Japan and often forgot why we were there."_

" _So if we aren't punished, why did we've to come home then?"_ asked Hermione gently.

Before anyone could answer, the doorbell rang. Eleanor opened the door and found Dumbledore standing outside.

" _I see that your daughters have arrived. Excellent,"_ he said and entered. _"Have you told them anything yet?"_

" _No, they arrived shortly before you,"_ answered Pandora. She turned to the girls. _"We've talked about solving an important problem, and the two of you are part of the solution."_

" _We?"_ said Hermione.

Eleanor nodded to her daughter. _"Since you're so worried about Ginevra, I've agreed to let her stay with us the rest of the summer if Molly agrees."_

" _I've talked to her and Mr Weasley. Both have given their consent to this,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Luna, it means you also are staying here the rest of summer. You have both completed most of the training already. Helping Ginevra in overcoming her problems should be easy for you,"_ said Pandora.

" _And to make things clear, this doesn't mean you can lie in the grass and talk away the time. You have one year to ensure Ginevra is ready for Hogwarts,"_ said Eleanor.

The two girls looked at each other, puzzled over this sudden change. There was only one problem Hermione saw with this. _"Luna and I have already promised to help Ginevra, so that's not an issue. The question is, what about when we start at Hogwarts next year? Ginevra is younger than us and will begin a year later."_

" _Leave it to us,"_ replied Pandora. _"If we could teach the two of you at the same time, Ginevra will be…what do you usually say…like going for a walk in the park?"_

Not even Luna managed to avoid rolling with her eyes. _"Mum, be yourself. You're not a good Muggle."_

The only thing preventing everyone from laughing right now, was the bell above the door who rang.

" _It must be Mrs Weasley with her daughter,"_ said Dumbledore. _"Mrs Granger, they'll need your official invitation to enter the property."_

" _Of course,"_ replied Eleanor and opened the door out.

" _Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood, it would be good for Miss Weasley if you welcome her,"_ said Dumbledore.

Hermione looked suspiciously at him before she was pulled out through the door by Luna.

" _What do you want to say?"_ said Pandora to Dumbledore when the girls were out of reach.

" _I couldn't avoid seeing your concern and wondered if everything were in order?"_ said Dumbledore.

" _It this a part of your plan? Isn't it a bit early for them?"_

" _My plan is constantly changing, and only time will tell if this is too early,"_ answered Dumbledore.

" _Cryptic as always. Is there nothing we can do to slow it?"_ asked Pandora.

" _I'm afraid it's no longer possible. Miss Granger has already found traces of the truth."_ Dumbledore smiled to himself. _"She is an incredibly smart girl, but it was likely the reason she was chosen."_

" _How does Hermione know what she's looking for?"_

" _I believe she's awake again. She's likely not strong enough yet to make direct contact. Instead, she puts out crumbs which Miss Granger apparently doesn't mind following."_

" _Could you, for once be a little more understandable?"_ said Pandora annoyed.

" _Last night, the central library in London received a request from Miss Granger. Nothing unusual since they both often send such requests,"_ said Dumbledore. He glanced at the gate where Eleanor now completed the official invitation. _"This time however, the subject was very unusual, even for these girls. I can only conclude that Miss Granger has been 'recommended' to take a closer look at this...'subject'."_

" _Wait, are you checking what the girls borrow from there? Don't tell me you censor them also?"_

" _No, I'll not make any attempt to control their search for knowledge. My job this time is to help them as much as possible to correct my old sins."_

Pandora sighed. She saw the others were now heading back to the house, so she asked quickly, _"How long must we keep this hidden from Eleanor? Does she not deserve to hear the same as me?"_

" _No!"_ said Dumbledore harshly. _"Mrs Granger has adapted herself to the life in our world in a remarkable way. However, without magic, she'll never be able to understand the importance of what we do."_

" _Okay, we'll do it your way, but I warn you again,"_ said Pandora. _"If I find out you've deliberately put the life of my daughter in danger, there's nothing which will save you. Wild magic or not."_ With these words, Pandora forced herself to smile and walked out on the stairs to greet the Weasleys welcome.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A.N: I'm sorry that it has taken so long to update this story, but my real life did demand more of my time for a period. This meant that I struggled to find a good pace in my writing, and it practically stopped for a long time. Late in autumn, I could finally begin to work on the story again, but the long-absent had made me rusty. So a new chapter is first available today.**_

 _ **It doesn't mean that's all I have done since I begun writing again. For those who haven't noticed this already, the two first chapters have also been rewritten. The sentences have been cleaned to make them flow a bit better and hopefully easier to read. Some parts have been removed because they felt a bit pointless. While other parts have been expanded on because I felt they were missing content to make sense.**_

 _ **Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this new chapter.**_

 **XXXXXXX**

 **Outside the Granger house, Afternoon, Tuesday, 30th July. 1991.**

Ginevra Weasley wasn't moving there she sat with her eyes closed. She was thinking about her mother's delicious apple pie before she switched to how fun it was to fly on a broom. Simple movements that soon changed into advanced acrobatics, taking the old broom to the limits of what it could handle. One happy memory after the other filled the girl's head until she, at last, could open her eyes with a smile. The shiny bells hovered around her head, slowly and without a sound.

" _I would say you have mastered this now,"_ said a voice from under the apple tree in Granger's garden.

Ginevra looked towards the two girls who lay in the shadow of the tree and observed the redhead. One was Luna Lovegood who chewed on one of the apples that had fallen from the tree. The other was Hermione Granger, who was sitting up against the tree trunk with a thick, open book resting on her chest. During the past year, these two girls had become Ginevra's best friends and made her life with wild magic much easier to handle. The fear of breaking things had been replaced with control and happiness over being able to live a more normal life.

" _I agree with Hermione,"_ said Luna when she swallows the last of her apple.

" _Thanks, but I never would have done it without you two. If I still had been doing this alone, I wouldn't have been in a happy place today,"_ said Ginevra.

" _Ginny, don't underestimate yourself,"_ said Luna. She picked up another apple and tossed it over to the red-headed girl who caught it with ease. _"Since we met, you have worked hard with this."_

" _I'm not the only one who underestimate themselves,"_ said Ginny. _"Patience isn't my strongest side. I'm sure it has been frustrating to be around me at times. Even so, you never gave up and helped me overcome my problems. That's more than what my parents managed."_

" _Perhaps, but you weren't that bad when we met you. Even Dumbledore admitted that your control has grown a lot the last year. Others would need 2-3 more years to complete what you have done,"_ said Hermione. She lifted the book from her chest and continued to read from where she had stopped.

" _What're you reading,"_ asked Ginny.

" _Hogwarts: A History,"_ answered the brunette from behind the book.

" _It doesn't look like the book I saw in your room for a couple of days ago,"_ said Ginny as she put the bells back inside the leather bag.

" _It's not the same book. This one is a second edition my mother gave me last night. She went to Edinburgh with Pandora yesterday. They visited a market there in search of rare books. Mum found this book and bought it to me,"_ said Hermione, still behind the book.

" _Which one are you missing?"_ asked Luna.

" _The first and ninth editions,"_ replied Hermione.

" _You're collecting every edition of that book?"_ said Ginny with a giggle.

" _She's looking for something,"_ said Luna before the brunette could respond.

" _Oh, what?"_ asked Ginny as she sat down next to the blond girl.

" _She doesn't know,"_ replied Luna again.

Hermione threw Luna a grumpy look. _"That's not what I said to you."_

" _When I asked what you looked for, you said 'something',"_ answered Luna and dried off a new apple she had found. _"When you're looking for 'something', it means you only have a 'hunch'. So, you don't know."_

Hermione only shook her head before she continued to read the book.

" _You know I'm right,"_ said Luna.

" _You two are hopeless,"_ said Ginny with a poorly hidden laughter. _"You sound like my parents at times. They don't always agree either, but they still love each other."_ Suddenly, she began to dig a hole in the soil with her fingers and stared towards Hermione.

" _Ginny, something wrong?"_ asked Luna.

" _No...but...Hermione, can I ask you a...personal question?"_ said Ginny.

Hermione closed the book and stared back at Ginny. _"Depends on the question."_

" _There is one thing I have been wondering about since I got to know you, but haven't dared to ask about before,"_ said Ginny. She avoided meeting the brunette's eyes now. _"Where's your father?"_

A sight could be heard from Hermione, and for a moment, it seemed she wanted to get up and leave.

" _Sorry. I shouldn't have asked. Forget it,"_ said Ginny.

" _You should tell her,"_ said Luna to Hermione.

Ginny looked at the other two girls, unsure of what was going on as they stared at each other.

" _He's not here,"_ began Hermione saying. _"He hasn't been here for many years."_

When she saw Hermione's sad eyes, Ginny regretted that she had brought up this subject at all. _"You don't need to say anything if you don't wish to."_

" _I don't, but it's better for you to hear about it from me than others."_ She took a deep breath and cleansed her throat. _"It all began after Luna's mother contacted my parents the first time. They closed their clinic in London and moved to where we are now,"_ said Hermione, staring at the house. _"My parents believed it would be safer for me to grow up with magic here, than within London. They also needed a lot of support and advice from Pandora at the beginning, which gave them one more reason to move. The house was old and worn, but my father restored it within a short time thanks to Luna's parents. My mother told me that the real problems began after the house was finished. You see, both of my parents worked as a dentist when we lived in London. My father wanted to keep working with that, but...there just wasn't any jobs for him within a decent distance. That the house was protected with magic, also bothered him."_

" _My father tried to persuade her father to work with The Quibbler. It wasn't one of the best suggestion my dad has had,"_ said Luna.

" _There were a lot of things that weren't good those days,"_ said Hermione, breathing deeply. _"After my fourth birthday, the unthinkable happened. My father wanted to move back to London, away from the magical world. Mum refused, something that led to several arguments between them. Then, one day, my father packed his things and left. My mum was now alone with me and the responsibility our magic brings. If Luna's parents hadn't been there for her, she wouldn't have had the strength to continue alone."_

" _Where's he now?"_ asked Ginny carefully.

" _Somewhere in London, I guess. Not sure where, but I don't have a desire to know either. He left us when we needed him the most...and I can't forgive him for that. They are divorced now, and I haven't seen him since."_ Hermione put the book down into her shoulder bag and stood up. _"Mum still loves him. She has several pictures of him in her bedroom. Those first years after he left, he sent presents for my birthdays and at Christmas. It stopped when I was six. He found out that I refused to open them because I hated him."_

" _Do you still...hate him?"_ asked Ginny. She could see the bitterness on Hermione's face against her father.

Hermione just stared out into the air. With a sigh, she replied, _"I think it's dinner soon."_ Then she rushed towards the house without waiting for the others.

" _I shouldn't have asked. She's mad at me now,"_ said Ginny.

" _She's not mad at you,"_ said Luna. The blond girl stood up, brushed off the grass from her tunic and stretched out a helping hand towards Ginny. _"Hermione has wished to tell you for many months now, but each time she had the chance, there was always an excuse. I'm sure she tried to find one now also but understood that she couldn't delay it any longer. Give her time, and she will smile again."_

" _But if she doesn't like to talk about her father, then why did she? Couldn't she just kept it for herself?"_ asked Ginny when she was pulled up on her feet by the other girl.

" _Hogwarts,"_ said Luna.

" _Oh, I had forgot. You're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow for your school equipment."_

Luna nodded. _"We already have our books, but we need other things too."_

" _True, but why was it important for Hermione to tell me before Hogwarts?"_

" _Because, when we are at the school, you could hear things...things about Hermione's parents."_

" _Untrue things?"_

Luna nodded again. _"Because of our magic, it's difficult for our families to create a friendship with others. They fear that visitors would see signs that could reveal us, or create suspicions and rumours."_

" _I'm quite familiar with false rumours,"_ said Ginny. _"As you know, my family aren't among the wealthiest. It has made some people spread malicious rumours about why we are so poor. My mother said that I shouldn't let it bother me. That's not easy when you walk past people in the streets, hearing them whispering behind your back. How can you?"_

" _Whispers alone can't hurt you,"_ said Luna. For once, she wasn't smiling. _"What they say, only matters if you allow it."_

" _That's the same my mother said."_

" _Cold words aren't unlike a cold wind. You protect yourself against them, so you don't freeze, neither in body nor soul,"_ said Luna. With these words, she walked towards the house, leaving a confused Ginny.

" _By Merlin's beard! I thought I knew these two by now, but...?"_ whispered Ginny for herself. Even when Luna had disappeared into the house, Ginny still stood outside. She was feeling a bit lost and lonely right now.

" _Why are you out here alone?"_ said a voice behind the girl.

Ginny spun around on the spot and saw Pandora standing only a few feet away. _"Hey, Pandora. I didn't know you should come today."_

" _Eleanor invited me to dinner so we afterwards can plan tomorrow's trip to Diagon Alley. Where's Luna and Hermione? Aren't they with you?"_ asked Pandora. She came closer and studied the red-haired girl for a second. _"Problems? You seem so...bewildered?"_

" _No problems,"_ said Ginny and shook her head. Then she added, _"Or...I'm not sure."_

" _Why not?"_

Ginny sighed and looked towards the house. _"I believed that I knew them after so much time together, but I'm not so sure any longer."_

" _Who are you talking about?"_ asked Pandora.

" _Hermione and Luna,_ " answered Ginny. The girl repeated most of what had been said since Ginny finished her exercise. _"It's like they suddenly became someone else,"_ said Ginny at the end.

" _There's nothing for you to fear,"_ replied Pandora. _"They are still the same girls you have known the last year. It's just that with Hogwarts only a month away, they are beginning to get nervous. Not that they have said anything about it, but they don't need too. I can clearly see how worried they are about how their time at the school will be."_

" _Because of our magic?"_

Pandora nodded. _"With Eleanor, I have tried to teach the girls how to...intermingle with the other students without standing out too much. But I'm not happy about their choice of strategy."_

" _Strategy? What do you mean?"_

" _We tried to learn the girls' something Eleanor called social camouflage. It's a method which changes or adapt your social behaviour, so others see you as something different from what you truly are,"_ answered Pandora.

" _Sounds like acting,"_ said Ginny.

" _It seems Hermione have educated you,"_ said Pandora with a giggle.

" _Yes. Eleanor invited me to see a play at the theatre last year. I had no idea what theatre was, so Hermione explained it for me the evening before."_

" _If I know Hermione well, she did a good job,"_ said Pandora.

Ginny only nodded.

" _Well, social camouflage is almost like acting, but it's also much harder to do. Unlike a play at the theatre which lasts only for 1-2 hours at most, social camouflage is like a never-ending play."_

" _It must be stressful and tiring to do that?"_ said Ginny.

" _It is. You can't relax at all, and it can be dangerous. Eleanor told me that people who use social camouflage, often end up making the situation much worse for themselves."_

" _How?"_

" _When you create a fake personality and try to live that life for a long time, your true personality will fight to regain the control. This...tug of war can cause the two personalities to either merge or one of them eradicate the other...for ever."_

" _So you are worried that this will happen with Hermione and Luna?"_ asked Ginny.

" _I would, but it won't happen."_

Ginny raised her eyebrows in surprise. _"Why not?"_

" _Because Hermione said the risk of them failing to maintain their fake personality for so long, would be too great. Luna agreed to this, and she won't change either."_

" _Then I fail to understand why you aren't happy about this in the first place?"_

" _I agree that social camouflage has a high risk for them, but it's a chance I would prefer they did take. Both of the girls have strong personalities, which will make them stand out in the crowd of other students,"_ said Pandora. She shook her head and looked with sadness on Ginny. _"I'm sure I sound like a cruel mother who doesn't care for her daughter, right?"_

This was so unexpected to hear that Ginny didn't know what to say.

" _Ginny, listen. I'm sure Dumbledore has told you how our world looks down on wild magic?"_

Ginny nodded in response.

" _He's holding back on how dangerous it is if you are being discovered,"_ said Pandora. _"After the war, the Ministry of Magic has established strict rules for wild magic. If you are detected with this kind of magic at Hogwarts, they will allow you to complete the school, but only if you agree to be kept under watch by Aurors. Any sign at all that you are about to lose control and they will toss you into Azkaban right away."_

" _Have you told Hermione and Luna about this?"_ asked Ginny.

" _Yes, after they had rejected the idea of social camouflage, but it made no difference. In fact, they already knew of these rules."_

" _Hermione,"_ almost whispered Ginny.

" _Yes,"_ said Pandora and smiled again. _"That girl's curiosity has no end. I just hope that it won't make her blind to the real world."_

" _I'm sure Luna will prevent that from happening."_

" _Maybe, but I wish you were older and could join them this year. You know, help the girls to stay away from trouble and not doing silly stuff,"_ said Pandora with a small laugh.

" _It wouldn't be the first time,"_ said Ginny.

" _Oh, not the first time they have been rebellious? Well, let us get inside before the others begin to look for us,"_ said Pandora and walked towards the house.

" _What? Yes...sometimes,"_ replied Ginny and followed after the woman. Ginny was glad that Pandora didn't look behind herself now because then she would have seen a terrified girl. Ginny knew that her previous answer wasn't true, but it felt like it was. Why had Ginny said that? The last half-year, she had experienced unfamiliar feelings and saying things she couldn't explain. Could it be a side effect of all the training?

" _Ginny, are you sure you're feeling okay?"_ asked Pandora as she opens the front door.

" _Just a bit tired after my exercises. Think I will have a little nap after dinner,"_ replied Ginny.

" _Not a bad idea. Let's hurry before the food gets cold,"_ said Pandora.

Hidden in the corner of the garden, a figure stood in the shade and watching the door closing behind Ginny. A moment later the figure disappeared with a tiny pop.

 **XXXXXXX**

 **The Leaky Cauldron, Early morning, Wednesday, 31st July. 1991.**

Hermione stumbled out of the fireplace in one of the rooms at the Leaky Cauldron. She supported herself against a table and grunted, _"I hate the Floo network. It makes me so nauseous."_

" _Shh,"_ said Eleanor when she went over to her daughter to help. _"Someone could hear you."_

Soon after, the fireplace flared up again when Pandora and Luna came through the Floo network. Luna reacted almost in the same way as Hermione, except the blond girl didn't say much.

" _The potion I made has no effect on the nausea?"_ asked Pandora.

Hermione and Luna looked at each other before they in unison shook their heads.

" _Strange. It's the same potion Dumbledore is using, so it should have worked,"_ said Pandora. She pulled out a small notebook and read through it. _"Maybe it's not adapted for children? But he should have known, or?"_

While Pandora continued to ponder on why the potion hadn't worked, Hermione dragged herself over to Luna and whispered, _"Are you okay? Well, except for the nausea?"_

With a faint smile, Luna nodded back.

" _Good,"_ whispered Hermione. The worst of her own nausea was now gone, and she could study the room closer. It was small with a table and two wooden chairs up against a wall, the fireplace they had come through and a door. It was one of several rooms connected to the Floo network that the Leaky Cauldron had for those with a need to visit Diagon Alley.

" _Pandora, can't you wait with that until tonight? We should leave the room before our time runs out and the next group of people arrive through the network,"_ said Eleanor. _"Girls, look over your clothes first."_

Today, both girls were wearing a grey robe over the tunics they preferred to use, and ankle-high shoes in soft leather. Even Luna had in pure happiness over today's event put on her shoes without any protest, which had shocked her mother.

Eleanor wore a brown summer coat, blue cotton trousers and white shoes. Where Hermione had adopted the clothes from the magical world, thanks to her friendship with Luna, had Eleanor no interest in this style. She lived in this world, but Eleanor knew well that she was only a Muggle.

With a green, hooded robe, a maroon tunic of wool and knee-high boots in black leather, stood Pandora out from the others. This was for her a day she had been looking forward to for so long. Today her daughter would, at last, get her own wand, a significant event in any wizards or witch's life.

" _Same rules as always,"_ said Pandora while she used her wand to remove the sot from their clothes. _"Do not go anywhere without us knowing about it. Do not accept anything from strangers. There are things here which you should not touch. Also,..."_

" _Mum, we have been in Diagon Alley before. We remember the rules,"_ interrupted Luna.

" _Pandora, I understand the gravity of the situation as much as you, but are there indeed any danger for them in there?"_ asked Eleanor. _"Their behaviour has been responsibly each time we have been here before. I think the girls understand what they can do or not by now."_

" _Well, yes...maybe, but..."_ said Pandora, but she was interrupted again.

" _And in a month, they are going to Hogwarts where we can't watch over them,"_ said Eleanor. _"I respect everything you have done throughout the years, but it's time to let our daughters find their own path in life."_

With a sigh, Pandora bent her head and said, _"I guess you're right. Just...just be careful."_

Both Luna and Hermione gave Pandora a comforting hug. Soon after, all four of them left the small room and walked through the Leaky Cauldron's main room. Luna was skipping ahead towards the door that leads out to Diagon Alley. Eleanor wasn't far behind, while Pandora and Hermione kept themselves a few feet behind Hermione's mother.

" _I haven't forgotten my promise to you,"_ whispered Hermione to Pandora.

Pandora smiled and nodded. _"I know. You have always been there for her,"_ whispered Pandora back. _"Please! Take good care of my daughter at Hogwarts."_

It was still a mystery for Hermione why Pandora had so much confidence in the young girl. Did the older woman know something she didn't tell? Tempting as it was for Hermione to ask more directly, she had never done so. Most because she felt that whatever the answer would be, it wouldn't be an honest one. Instead, the brunette followed Luna there she disappeared through the door into Diagon Alley.

" _Describe Diagon Alley with one word."_ This was a task Cecilie Ansley had given the girls on their last day together. Mrs Ansley knew the task would be impossible to solve for most children at their age, but Luna wasn't like most children.

" _Life,"_ was the answer Luna had given to an astounded Mrs Ansley. _"Life, because Diagon Alley is the most important place for witches and wizards in Britain. Without this street, our society would have been a sad place for all. Diagon Alley is a place where we meet others like us and don't have a fear of being rejected and hated."_

When Hermione entered Diagon Alley after the blond, Hermione looked down the narrow street which was full of people and smiled. This street was one of few places in Britain where the magical society could gather in peace. Where...Muggles couldn't come and use their fear of the unknown to destroy more of the world. Not that the magical world was perfect, but which world was?

That Hermione was both a Muggle and a witch, had made the girl unsure at times. She already knew that having one foot in each of the worlds would create problems no matter what she did. Not everyone was as accepting of Muggles as the Lovegood family in the magical world. Even in the smaller community of Ottery St Catchpole, Hermione had felt that some eyes stared much more intense at her than usual.

" _Where are we going first?"_ asked Luna. She was smiling so happy that the grey weather almost was chased away.

" _Gringotts. We will need a bit more money,"_ said Pandora while looking at the list in her hand. _"Since it's your first year, then you are going to need a lot of new equipment."_

" _We also have to get some Muggle money,"_ said Eleanor.

" _Yes, I almost forgot about that,"_ replied Pandora while still looking over the list.

" _Why do we need Muggle money?"_ wondered Luna.

Pandora looked at her daughter. _"Luna, we have talked about this before. When I went to Hogwarts, I didn't dress like I'm doing today. Most of the students will use Muggle clothing, or something similar when they aren't in their school uniform. So after we are done here, we're going to a Muggle store and find you some other clothes."_

Both of the girls had rejected the idea of social camouflage. Even so, their parents had convinced the girls that they should at least dress more like the others at the school. For Hermione had this decision been a no-brainer, but Luna was still not convinced about this. She had said yes that day, but Hermione could now see the regret in the girl's silvery eyes.

" _But, mum..."_ begun Luna to protest.

" _No, Luna,"_ said Pandora with a raised finger. _"When we are at home or here in Diagon Alley, most won't care about what you're wearing. If you went to Hogwarts in today's clothing, some of the other students would care. Remember how we have taught you to think ahead of problems? You will both have enough as it is to focus on at the school. If we can remove the issues before they happen, it will be better for you."_

" _Humph,"_ said Luna. She then marched down the street and disappeared into the crowd.

" _Perhaps we should have waited until later with that,"_ said Pandora with a sigh. _"Luna will be sulking the rest of the day now."_

" _Hermione, can't you take Luna with you to Madam Malkin's while we're at Gringotts?"_ said Eleanor. She gave a small pouch of money to her daughter. _"There should be enough in the pouch for what you need in Malkin's store. Also, try to explain to Luna that we aren't doing this to be cruel to her. We love you more than anything else and wish you to be safe while away."_

" _Of course,"_ said Hermione and went immediately into the crowd in search of Luna.

" _It will be okay,"_ said Eleanor to Pandora. _"Luna will listen to Hermione. She always does."_

Pandora only nodded in response.

While she found her way between the people in Diagon Alley, Hermione knew this wouldn't be an easy task even for her. Luna was a child of nature and disliked when she had to adapt to the more civilised world. As long as the two girls had followed the training and done their school work, there were no restrictions on what they could do in their spare time. It had been a good time for the girls, but things had changed the last months, and Luna was the one with most trouble to accept this.

It turned out that Luna had not walked far down the street. The girl stood outside Eeylops Owl Emporium, looking at the owls inside their cages there they waited for their new owners. Hermione put her arms carefully around the blond and with her chin resting on Luna's shoulder, Hermione whispered, _"Hey. I thought you had accepted that this would happen? It was at least what you told me a couple of days ago."_

" _It's more difficult than I believed it would be,"_ whispered Luna back.

This was exactly why Hermione had been against the idea of social camouflage. Changing their clothing would have been the simple part, but since Luna couldn't even do that, what was the point? And if Luna couldn't change, then there was no reason that Hermione should try either. Still, Hermione knew their parents were right. The girls had to change their clothing for Hogwarts, no matter how much it hurt for Luna to accept this.

" _It will be easier with time,"_ said Hermione.

" _How do you know?"_ responded Luna.

Hermione smiled. _"Do you remember the first time you persuaded me to take off my shoes and walk without them? How hard it was for me to adapt?"_

" _Yes, you complained louder than when a Pixy Slimehog is mating."_

" _Thanks, Luna. Not something I wished to know."_

" _But it's true,"_ said Luna.

" _Perhaps, but my point is that despite it was a huge change for me, I kept trying. I did it because I knew how important it was for you. Seeing the smile on your face was all I needed to keep going even when it was tempting to give up."_

" _You could have said no."_

" _Of course I could, but at times a friendship demands that we try something new. I did it because it was you who asked,"_ said Hermione. She pushed away a strand of hair that had fallen in front of Luna's eyes. _"So I ask you now. Are you willing to try adapting yourself for our time at Hogwarts? For my sake? So that when we one-day finish school, we can walk together out the gate and chose to live as we wish."_

Luna turned around and faced the brunette. _"You worry that if I don't, then we would risk that future?"_

Hermione nodded.

" _Are you expecting problems?"_

" _Seven long years at Hogwarts, surrounded by hundreds of other students and teachers. I don't care what either Dumbledore or our parents say or thinks. It would be a miracle if nothing goes wrong during that time,"_ said Hermione and added, _"And I don't believe in miracles. Only hard work...and a strong friendship._ "

" _Okay,"_ said Luna and managed to smile again. _"For you, I will try."_

" _Thanks,"_ said Hermione. She already had a plan to make it easier for Luna, but Hermione wished to wait until later before she revealed it. _"Now, let us go to Madam Malkin and buy our school uniforms."_

" _Where are our mothers?"_

" _Gringotts. They will come when they are finished there,"_ answered Hermione. With that settled, she took Luna's hand and pulled the girl with her down Diagon Alley. Madam Malkin's Robes was only two stores further down the street from where the girls had stood. Hermione was about to open the door, but then it was hastily pushed open from the inside, and a person stormed out in front of them.

" _What are you looking at? Get away from me!"_ snarled a young boy. He was around their age, had pale skin, a pointed face and short, blond hair. The boy's cold, grey eyes radiated an intense anger towards the girls when he looked at them.

Hermione put herself in front of Luna as a shield, but the boy only snorted at them, and soon he was on a full march down the street.

" _He seems to have a rough day,"_ said Luna there she peeked after the boy from behind Hermione's back.

" _That's an understatement,"_ said Hermione and looked through the door. _"His face was still red as a tomato, so I believe the reason for his anger is still inside the store. Maybe we should wait for our mothers before we go inside?"_

" _Regardless of the reason for his anger, it has nothing to do with us,"_ said Luna, as she opened the door.

Inside, the two girls met a squat, smiling witch dressed in full mauve. She didn't look happy, which only strengthen the girls' belief that something had happened here. Still, when the older witch saw the girls, she gave them a smile. _"Hogwarts?"_

" _Yes,"_ answered Luna with a nod.

" _Please, wait by the footstools in the corner there. I'll be back in a moment,"_ said the witch and disappeared into the back room.

" _Was that Madam Malkin,"_ whispered Hermione as she sat down on the footstool.

Luna only nodded.

" _She seemed stressed,"_ said Hermione. She looked around in the store and discovered that they weren't alone. In the opposite corner, a boy stood on a footstool while a young witch worked on his robe. Like the first boy, this one was also around the age of the girls. He had untidy, black hair, round glasses and was sour like a lemon. _"I think the boy we met in the door must have had an argument with that one in the corner,"_ whispered Hermione.

" _I think you're right,"_ whispered Luna back.

It was uncertain whether the boy had spotted the girls, or if he simply ignored them. Not that they had much time to think about this when Madam Malkin came back with another witch.

" _Up on the footstools, girls,"_ said Madam Malkin.

Each of the girls got dressed in a long, black robe before the two older witches began adapting them. For the next couple of minutes, the only sound that could be heard was the steps from the witches while they walked around. Then the boy was done with his robe and went down on the floor.

" _Mr Potter, would you please wait over by the counter. Your clothes will soon be finished,"_ said the young witch who had helped the boy.

The Potter boy walked past the two girls without looking at them and stopped by the counter. There he crossed his arms and tapped with his foot on the floor while waiting. Shortly after, the young witch returned from the back room with the boy's clothes wrapped in brown paper. After he had paid for his clothes, the boy went straight to the door. There he opens it, turned around and stared at the girls for a few seconds, then he vanished out on the street.

Hermione watched the now closed door. The girls were still a month away from Hogwarts, but she feared that their problems maybe already had appeared. Whatever had happened between the two boys, it smelled like an issue she didn't want to be part of. Hermione hoped that she wouldn't have to share house with the boy, but...maybe she had no choice in this matter? If she should keep her promise to Pandora, then Hermione had to be in the same house as Luna. Otherwise, their time at the school would become very complicated. There was only a small question Hermione would need an answer at first.

When Madam Malkin and her assistant went to the back room for a moment, Hermione took the chance to ask the blond. _"Which of the houses at Hogwarts do you hope to join?"_

" _Hmm, I haven't thought so much on that. My parents were in Ravenclaw, so I will presumably end up there,"_ said Luna.

" _Presumably?"_

" _I believe it's a kind of family tradition. My mother told me that a child will often be chosen to the same house as their parents, even though there is a chance you can end up somewhere else."_

" _But your mother said we could choose which house we wanted?"_

" _Yes, but it doesn't matter for me which house it is. Although I think my parents would prefer that I didn't go to Slytherin."_

Before Hermione could ask anything more, came Madam Malkin back into the room. Luna's answers hadn't made thing simpler for Hermione. She had once asked Pandora how students were chosen for the different houses at Hogwarts, but Luna's mother had only smiled back at her. In the end, Pandora had revealed it was a kind of test, but that their wishes would also be taken into consideration. The only questions were, what type of test and how much of their wishes would matter for the final result?

" _Miss Granger, it would go faster if you didn't move so much,"_ said Madam Malkin.

" _Sorry, Madam Malkin,"_ answered Hermione. Lost in her own thoughts, Hermione forgot that she was standing on top of a footstool and nearly had fallen off.

" _Then you're finished,"_ said Madam Malkin after a few more minutes. She pulled the robe of Hermione and pointed towards the counter. _"Please wait over there, I will soon be back with your clothes."_

Hermione jumped off the footstool and did as she had been told. Shortly after was Luna also finished and joined Hermione at the counter. Both waited in silence until their clothes were done. After Madam Malkin had been paid by Hermione, the two girls went out on Diagon Alley again.

" _Does it matter if we are in different houses?"_ asked Luna when they slowly walked towards Gringotts.

It didn't come as a surprise that the blond girl had understood Hermione's concerns. _"Yes. I would prefer to be in the same house with you,"_ said Hermione. There wasn't any reason for her to lie about this.

" _Because you promised my mother to take care of me?"_ said Luna without looking at the brunette.

" _So you know. How?"_ said Hermione a little surprised.

" _The signs have been there for those who wished to see them. My mother is good at keeping things secret, but not so well when I'm a part of them,"_ said Luna and stopped. She looked deeply into the brunette's eyes and smiled. _"She has always been worried about the day I should begin at Hogwarts. Since she can't come with me, it was obvious she would ask someone else to keep an eye on me. There is only one person she has enough trust in to do this besides my father, and that's you."_

" _Sorry. Your mother was determined that I shouldn't tell you about it."_

" _I find it quite charming that someone is looking out for me,"_ said Luna. She bent towards one of Hermione's ears and whispered, _"But I wonder. Who's looking out for you?"_

Before Hermione could respond, was Luna already skipping ahead towards Gringotts. Hermione slowly followed while trying to understand the blond girl's words.

 **XXXXXXX**

After the girls had become united with their mothers again, the remaining items on their list were found at a fast pace. Soon, there was only one thing left, but it also was the most important item of them all.

" _I'm not sure who of you are the most excited right now,"_ said Eleanor with a small laugh. _"It's Hermione and Luna who are getting their wands, but Pandora, you're going to take off soon if you smile any wider now."_

" _Sorry, but it's a day I've been looking forward to for so long. Pity Xenophilius couldn't come and see it also,"_ replied Pandora.

" _Strange that he couldn't postpone his travel?"_ said Eleanor.

" _I tried to persuade him, but he couldn't wait. He wouldn't even tell me why,"_ sighed Pandora. Her smile was gone now. _"He has seemed so absent lately, well, more than usual. He nearly forgot to send out the latest issue of The Quibbler."_

" _Didn't you once say that he loved his magazine almost as much as his family?"_ asked Eleanor.

" _Yes. That's why I'm so confused and worried about him. I'll have to sit down and talk with him when he comes back,"_ said Pandora.

They all stopped outside a store that was nearly at the end of Diagon Alley. Over the door, they could in golden letters read; **'Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.'**.

Hermione pushed the door open with Luna following right behind. The inside of the store was dark, cramped and high under the roof. On the shelves along the walls, a vast amount of boxes had been stacked. It was tempting for Hermione to count them all, but she quickly dropped that thought.

" _Good afternoon,"_ said a gentle voice from a corner in the room. On a chair sat an elderly man who now stood up and walked towards his new customers. _"Ah, Pandora Lovegood. Nine and a half inch, white willow?"_

" _You remember?"_ said Pandora.

" _I remember every wand I've sold, so how could I forgot that one,"_ said Ollivander and turned towards the two girls. _"But I presume it's these young ladies that are here for their first wand today?"_

Speechless, the girls only nodded back.

" _May I ask what your names are?"_ said Ollivander.

" _Luna Lovegood."_

" _Hermione Jean Granger."_

" _I'm pleased to meet you both. Shall we begin with you, Miss Granger? Which is your wand arm?"_

" _My wand arm?"_ said Hermione.

" _It's her right arm, just like me,"_ said Luna.

" _In that case, hold out your right arm, Miss Granger,"_ said Ollivander. He pulled a long measuring tape with silver markings out from the pocket of his vest.

Hermione didn't move while Ollivander began to take several measurements of her. Hermione wondered what some of them had to do with a wand, but for now, she let Ollivander continue doing whatever he was doing.

" _Then it's your turn, Miss Lovegood,"_ said Ollivander and repeated the same process again. When he finally seemed satisfied with the measurements, he put his tape back into his pocket and walked towards the shelves. _"Every Ollivander wand is unique. Each of them has been made to give the best possible result for their owners magic."_ Ollivander picked out a couple of boxes from the middle of the shelf and came to the counter with them. _"My wands contains either unicorn hair, a tail feather from a phoenix, or heartstrings from a dragon. This core, along with the chosen wood and a few other added traits will determine what kind of wand it will become. They gain a sort of...'personality' which makes the wand choose its master and not the other way around."_

" _And what if we're not 'chosen' by a wand?"_ asked Hermione.

Ollivander smiled gently. _"It has occurred that some of my customers had to come back over several days before finding their new wand, but it's a rare occasion. In my lifetime, I have never experienced that a customer had to leave my store without a wand in the end. So,"_ said Ollivander and handed a chocolate-brown wand to Hermione. _"Black walnut, 11 inches with unicorn hair, very flexible."_

Hermione swung the wand back and forth a few times, but it was then pulled out of her hand.

" _No, that's not the right one for you,"_ said Ollivander and handed a golden-brown wand to Luna. _"Cherry wood, 7 inches with a phoenix tail-feather, springy."_

Luna tried to test the wand, but she had barely begun moving the wand before Ollivander snatched it away from her.

" _No,"_ said the wandmaker as he disappeared into a new search after wands for the girls. He came back with several wands for them to try, but he always had to go back to find others. After a long time and an ever-increasing pile of boxes on the counter, Ollivander wasn't any closer to find the right wand for any of them. You would have believed this had made the wandmaker upset, but he seemed only more happy and excited than ever before. He continued to search through the remaining boxes on the shelves. _"I must admit it's unusual that none of you has found a suitable wand yet. As I mentioned, sometimes it can take a bit longer to find the right one, but both of you at the same time?"_

Hermione bent over towards Pandora and whispered, _"Does our magic make it harder to find a wand?"_

" _There shouldn't be a reason for it,"_ whispered Pandora back.

Hermione shrugged on her shoulders and tried another wand Ollivander had found, but with the same result as before.

When it was near closing time after another hour with unsuccessful trials of wands, Ollivander sat down in his chair and sighed.

" _Mr Ollivander. We could come back tomorrow if you need some rest,"_ said Eleanor.

" _Mrs Granger. I thank you for your thoughtfulness, but there is still much energy left in me,"_ said Ollivander. He looked at the now half-empty shelves, then on the massive pile of boxes on the counter and finally on the two girls. _"There is something else that bothers me right now. You need to understand that I have built and sold many thousands of wands in my long life. All the time I've spent on every single one of them have made my magic sensitive to their 'personality'. That's the reason I can determine so quickly if the connection between the wand and its new master is right. Today I have struggled more than ever before."_

" _What do you mean?"_ asked Pandora.

" _Every person is different, just like my wands. I've had twins and triplets here for their first ones, but even they had a unique reaction when they tried the same wand. It should have been the same for your daughters, but today...today my wands all react in exactly the same way."_

" _Wait, are you saying that you can't sense any difference at all? Not even the slightest one?"_ asked Eleanor.

" _Yes, Mrs Granger. That's exactly what I'm saying,"_ said Ollivander. _"If it weren't for the fact that I sold a wand only minutes before you came, I would have believed it was something wrong with my magic. The only other explanation my wands could have behaved like this are if...if..."_ Ollivander suddenly stopped talking and just stared at the floor. The others could hear that he mumbled something for himself for a little while.

" _Mr Ollivander?"_ said Pandora.

Ollivander didn't respond with words, but stood up from the chair and drew a wand out from his vest. With two swift movements, he locked the door and pulled a thick curtain in front of the window.

" _Mr Ollivander, what are you doing?"_ repeated Pandora. Her right arm was now in one of her pockets, ready to take out her wand.

" _I will be back in a moment,"_ said Ollivander and disappeared out of sight into the back room of the store. Less than a minute later, he returned with a new box in his hands, but this one wasn't like the others that filled the counter. It was almost twice the width and had beautiful leaves and flowers carved into the box's dark wood. Ollivander led his wand over the box twice, took a deep breath and carefully lifted the lid.

Hermione could see two wands inside the now open box, lying on a green cloth. For an unknown reason, her hand stretched out towards one of the wands, but she stopped halfway. Hermione looked at Luna and saw that she also was standing there with a half outstretched hand, ready to take one of the wands.

" _You're allowed to take them,"_ said Ollivander calmly.

Hermione hesitated at first, but she then stretched out and grabbed one of the wands. Just a second or two later, her eyes became blurred for a short while. When her sight returned, Hermione discovered that she no longer was in Ollivander's store. Instead, she stood in a large meadow, full of flowers of all colours. Hermione tried to move forward, but her body didn't obey her commands. This should have caused panic in Hermione's mind, but she was surprisingly calm.

'Hermione' turned around, and she now saw that a young, beautiful lady was standing next to her. If she had been able to, Hermione would have gasped. The young lady was Luna, or at least how Hermione thought the blond girl would look like when she got older. 'Hermione' and 'Luna' both raised their wands against each other and smiled. It became clear for Hermione it was the same wands the two girls had taken from Ollivander's box only seconds earlier.

" _There is no need to worry. Embrace the reunion,"_ said suddenly a woman's voice inside Hermione.

'Reunion? Of what?' thought Hermione. No answer came. She looked down again and could see that the tip of each wand was now only a couple of inches apart. At the moment they touched each other, green energy in shape of a thin thread flowed out from where their wands had met. The energy thread split itself into two threads before they started to twist around each of the wands. The energy had soon reached the girls' hands, but it didn't stop there. Instead, it continued up the girls' arms. Just below their elbows, the energy threads went seven times around their arms and finally stopped moving.

" _It is done,"_ said the same voice from before.

This time Hermione didn't have a chance to think before her eyes once again became blurry. The next thing she felt was falling backwards and landing on something soft. Shortly after that, Hermione lost her consciousness. It was unsure how long she had been gone, but Hermione was awakened by a voice saying her name.

" _They are waking up now,"_ said a woman.

Hermione could swear she knew that voice. Then one word left her lips. _"Mum?"_

" _Yes, Hermione. It's me,"_ said the voice back.

Now Hermione realised that her eyes were still closed. She opened them and saw straight into her mother's face. _"Mum?"_ repeated Hermione.

" _Don't worry. You fainted after you had picked up the wand,"_ said Eleanor.

" _Fainted?"_ said Hermione. She stirred a bit on herself and could feel the wooden floor she was lying on. _"What about Luna? Did she also..."_

Eleanor nodded. _"You both fainted at the same time. If Pandora hadn't been so quick with her wand, you would have hit the floor."_

Pandora stood next to the counter and almost shouted at Ollivander. _"Why didn't you warn them before they tried these wands? I thought you of all people would know better?"_

" _Mrs Lovegood. I swear on my good name that I never expected this could happen. In my whole life, I have seen many kinds of reactions between a wand and their new master, but nothing so strong like this,"_ said Ollivander.

'Strong?' thought Hermione when she stood up from the floor with some help from her mother. Hermione then helped Luna on her feet and whispered to the girl, _"Did you see what I saw?"_

Still confused after the event, Luna just nodded.

" _Don't tell them,"_ whispered Hermione.

" _Why not?"_ asked Luna.

" _Only a strange feeling I have about it. Also, I don't wish to worry our mothers too much."_ Hermione turned towards Ollivander and asked, _"Mr Ollivander, where are the wands?"_

" _I levitated them back into the box,"_ answered Pandora. _"I don't want you to touch them again. They aren't safe to use. Mr Ollivander has to find some other wands for you two."_

" _I'm deeply sorry, Mrs Lovegood, but that's not possible,"_ said Ollivander. _"None of my other wands would choose these girls now."_

" _Then we have to go somewhere else, like Gregorovitch, and get their wands from him,"_ said Pandora grumpy. She turned around and walked towards the door. _"Would you unlock the door so we could leave?"_

Ollivander lifted his wand and was about to unlock the door, but a hand pushed the wand down again.

" _Miss Granger?"_ said Ollivander surprised.

" _Hermione? What are you doing?"_ said Eleanor.

The brunette lifted up the wand from the box again and looked at it. _"Even if we go to Gregorovitch, it won't change that this wand has chosen me."_ Hermione looked at Ollivander for a moment and then asked, _"Mr Ollivander. These wands aren't your ordinary ones?"_

Ollivander smiled. _"You're right, Miss Granger. It's my family that has created them, but not by my hands."_

" _Hermione. Please put the wand back,"_ said Pandora next to the still locked door.

" _Pandora, I appreciate your help and all your advice over the years we have known each other,"_ said Hermione smiling. _"And I understand your concern, but today I need to follow my instinct."_

Pandora seemed tense and unwilling to listen at first, but she sighed heavily and asked, _"And what does your instinct say to you?"_

" _That these wands was meant for Luna and me. I think Mr Ollivander knows more about the history behind them if we only give him the chance to tell us,"_ said Hermione.

It looked like Pandora wanted to protest, but then she walked over to a chair and sat down. She rubbed her forehead as if she had a headache and said, _"I guess we could at least listen to him. Mr Ollivander, would you please explain a bit more about this...wands?"_

" _Of course,"_ said Ollivander.

Eleanor sat down on a chair next to Pandora, while Hermione and Luna sat on the floor in front of their mothers.

" _It's a long and rather mysterious story, but I shall try,"_ said Ollivander. He walked over to the girls and stretched out his hand. _"Could I borrow your wand for a moment, Miss Granger?"_

Hermione hesitated but did as the wandmaker asked and handed her wand over. She hadn't paid for it and wasn't the official owner yet.

After Ollivander had lifted up the remaining wand from the box, he inspected both of the wands for a second. Then he held up Hermione's wand so that everyone could see it. _"10 ¾ inches with a heartstring from a dragon. Made out of Vine wood and are decorated with beautiful carvings of vines."_ After giving it back to Hermione, Ollivander held up the wand Luna had chosen. _"11 ¼ inches. It also contains a heartstring from a dragon. It has a pattern of acorns engraved into the wood, so at first sight, I thought it was made of Oak. A further inspection revealed that the wand is created with Rowan wood."_ He carefully handed the wand over to Luna, despite Pandora's attempt to stop him.

" _Why acorns if it's not made from Oak?"_ asked Eleanor.

" _These wands were made in the middle of the fifth century,"_ said Ollivander as he sat down on his chair in the corner. _"In those days, there were still Druids in Britain. Our first knowledge of making wands comes from the Druids, and the acorn is one of their most potent symbols. Perhaps the pattern on the wand was made to honour them? I'm not sure."_

" _Wait, wait, wait...did you say they were made in the middle of the fifth century?"_ asked Pandora.

" _Yes, Mrs Lovegood,"_ replied Ollivander.

" _But, these wands must be around 1500 years old then?"_ said Pandora. _"It can't be right. When I was at Hogwarts, a friend of me was using a wand she had inherited from her grandmother. It was a family heirloom from around the time when they built Hogwarts. In my friend's sixth year, she had to get a new wand because the old one was too worn and had become unstable. But you claim that these,"_ said Pandora, pointing towards the girls' wands, _"are 1500 years old, but they look like they were made yesterday."_

" _Mrs Pandora. I swear on my good name and reputation. These wands are from that time."_

" _Mr Ollivander,"_ interrupted Eleanor. _"As a muggle, I don't understand this so well, but I have one question to ask you."_

" _Of course, Mrs Granger. Ask, and I'll do my best to answer."_

" _I own a bookstore together with Pandora and knows a bit about buying and selling things. I also know that in the magical world, many items have been preserved for a long time, sometimes centuries. The older an object is, the more 'special' value it has. After what I understand, you don't sell 'special' objects, do you?"_

" _No. My family's sole task in life has been to make wands and sell them. Second-hand or ancient objects has never been a part of our life,"_ answered Ollivander.

" _Then why haven't these wands been sold before? Are there a problem with them?"_ asked Eleanor.

" _I have to say yes to your second question, Mrs Granger,"_ answered Ollivander. _"But, your first question will require a longer answer."_

" _Explain,"_ said Pandora.

" _At the middle of the fifth century, Emmet Ollivander was the head of our family. His skill in making wands was exceptional even after today's standard. Sadly, when he died, some of his secret techniques got lost in time. We have tried to regain them ever since his death, but without any luck so far,"_ said Ollivander. For a brief moment, Ollivander seemed lost in his own world, before he remembered that he wasn't alone. _"I'm deeply sorry. Rediscovering Emmet's secrets has been a passion throughout my whole life."_

" _I appreciate the professional pride you have in your trade, but I'm not in the mode for it right now. The wands, Mr Ollivander,"_ said Pandora.

" _Ah, yes. You're right of course,"_ said Ollivander. _"Emmet's secrets of his trade is maybe lost, but he left behind something else to our family. An oath."_

" _An oath?"_ said Hermione.

With a smile, Ollivander nodded. _"Not an ordinary oath, but one which has been bound to our family for 1500 years. But let me first tell you a story. One that has never been heard by anyone outside of my family. It began when Emmet one day had an unusual visit to his store. An elderly woman arrived late in the evening and wished to sell Emmet two heartstrings from a dragon. Nothing unusual in itself since already back then, my family was known for making good wands. However, when Emmet asked what price the woman wanted for the heartstrings, she gave him a surprising answer."_

" _I guess she asked for a much higher price than usual?"_ said Eleanor.

" _No. The woman wanted to sell them for a lower price than what Emmet was used to. Much, much lower actually,"_ said Ollivander.

" _That's strange,"_ said Pandora. _"Unless this woman was from one of the noble families, then most of the people at that time would want to get the most out of a trade. Even among the population in the magical community, there was a lot of poverty."_

" _Sadly true,"_ said Ollivander. _"It had made Emmet suspicious of the woman's motives behind her sale. So he asked her a few more questions to find out the truth."_

" _Did he find it?"_ said Eleanor.

" _Well, the details of their conversation is sparse, but apparently he must have done so. Because Emmet bought the heartstrings to the price the woman had asked for. A few days later, he used them as the core of two new wands."_

" _These two?"_ said Hermione and held up her wand, while she nodded towards Luna's.

Ollivander nodded back. _"Those wands are Emmet's masterpieces. He never created anything better in his entire life. It must have been emotionally difficult for him to sell them, but they both found their new masters shortly afterwards."_

" _Do you know who bought them?"_ asked Pandora.

" _No,"_ said Ollivander with a sad sigh. _"We had a fire in the family archive at the end of the seventeenth century, around the time when we started to hide from the Muggles. Some of the old books and parchments couldn't be repaired, even with magic. So we lost a lot of information, including the names of who bought these wands."_

" _But, Mr Ollivander. If your ancestor sold these wands for 1500 years ago, why do you have them today?"_ asked Luna.

" _Emmet Ollivander believed he had seen those wands for the last time when he sold them, but he was wrong. About 30 years later the woman, who had sold the heartstrings, returned to Emmet's store. But this time she wasn't there to sell anything. Instead, she had brought with her the two wands that Emmet had made with those heartstrings."_ Ollivander was quiet for a moment while looking at Hermione and Luna. _"The woman told Emmet that the owners of the wands no longer was among us. Which is sad to hear, but not all of us get a long life."_

" _Yes, but why did she return to Emmet with them?"_ asked Pandora.

" _As you probably remember, I told you it's the wand that chooses its master and not the other way around?_ " asked Ollivander.

" _Yes,"_ answered Pandora.

" _When a new wand chooses its first master, a unique bond is created between them. This affiliation to its old master makes it difficult, but not impossible, for a wand to connect itself to a second master later. Because of this, any wizard or witch who wishes to perform magic at their best should never use a second-hand wand."_ Ollivander smiled cleverly. _"Of course a wandmaker would say this, I hear you say. Because then he could sell more wands, but that has never been my purpose. I only wish to sell wands of the highest quality."_

" _But if you don't sell second-hand wands and believe everyone should use a new wand, then why did you pick these for Luna and me? It doesn't make any sense,"_ said Hermione.

" _Because this woman got Emmet to swear that his family would keep the wands safe. Their role in our world wasn't over, and their masters would one day return for them."_

After hearing the last sentence from Ollivander, Hermione couldn't believe what he had just said. _"Their masters would...return? But...but...we never have..."_ She couldn't say anything more. The whole thing was so unreal that her brain struggled to work.

" _Ollivander! What you're saying isn't possible?"_ said Eleanor. _"The first owners lived 1500 years ago! Our daughters can't be the original masters of these wands."_ She looked around, expecting someone to jump out and tell her this was a prank, but nobody did.

" _I can understand your mistrust to this explanation, Mrs Granger. As time went on, even my family started to think of this oath as a myth. The only reason we have waited for so long, was because Emmet swore on our family's honour. Ollivander's is an old family, and the only thing that's more important than our work is our honour."_

" _Mr Ollivander. Does this story say anything about how this woman looked like? She that sold Emmet these heartstrings and later came back with the wands?"_ asked Pandora.

Ollivander had to think for a moment before he answered. _"Not much. Some of the details may have been lost as the story was passed onto the next generation, or maybe the details were sparse from the beginning?"_ He shrugged on his shoulders with a sigh. _"I can't guarantee that the little I know is true."_

" _I would still like to hear what you know,"_ said Pandora.

" _As you wish,"_ said Ollivander. _"I was told that the woman shall have been short with grey hair and green, intense eyes."_

For the next half-minute, nobody said a word until Eleanor said, _"Well, it shouldn't be too hard to find that woman."_

" _Hmm...it wasn't much to work with,"_ said Pandora. _"Mr Ollivander, is that everything you know?"_

" _I'm afraid so. Still, when I think about it, there was something else about this woman,"_ said Ollivander.

" _Oh?"_ said Pandora.

" _At her first visit to Emmet, the woman was already very old. When she returned about 30 years later, she hadn't changed at all. Again, I can't guarantee this is true since there are no written records about this."_

" _Could it truly be..."_ said Pandora to herself.

" _Pandora, what are you thinking about,"_ asked Eleanor.

" _Just a thought I had, but it's best that I keep it for myself for now. At least until I have talked with Dumbledore first,"_ answered Pandora. She sighed and looked at Ollivander with a weary smile. _"How much for the wands?"_

" _Nothing,"_ said Ollivander. _"It was 1500 years ago, but they have been paid for. It would be dishonest of me to sell them again."_

" _As you wish. Thanks for your help, Mr Ollivander,"_ said Pandora, standing up to leave the store.

Ollivander bent down towards the girls and said, _"I don't know what the future will bring you two, but I believe it will be one worth to follow."_

Shortly after, the group were standing out on the street again. It was late in the afternoon, and Diagon Alley was almost empty since most of the stores had closed for the day. Pandora and Eleanor trudged quickly up the street, while their daughters already were several feet behind.

" _Pandora, are you sure about this? Maybe we should find some other wands to them?"_ asked Eleanor.

" _No. Ollivander was right. No other wand will accept our daughters now,"_ answered Pandora.

" _But, I don't understand. At first, you were going to leave, but now you accept it?"_

" _I was scared. When the girls lifted up the wands, I could feel how they become connected to each other and the wands. It shouldn't have been possible for me to sense it, but I did."_

" _Wait, what do you mean with 'each other'?"_ said Eleanor.

" _Dear Eleanor. It's so difficult for me to explain this to you. Do you remember what I told you a long time ago? That because you don't have magic yourself, you would never understand certain things?"_

" _Yes, but I also said that I would try to understand."_

Pandora stopped and turned to Eleanor. _"True, but this...this is something so special that I'm not even sure I understand it myself. When I do, we will sit down with a cup of tea, and I shall try to explain it to you then. For now, just accept that these wands consider our daughters as their old masters."_

" _You're hiding something from me,_ " said Eleanor.

Pandora sighed. _"Could you take the girls home for now? I need to speak with Dumbledore before I'm able to tell you more."_

" _What are you talking about?"_ asked Hermione. She and Luna had caught up with their mothers again.

Pandora gave Eleanor a pleading look, then she marched up the street alone.

" _Let us go home,"_ said Eleanor with a weary smile.

" _Mum, what's wrong?"_ asked Hermione.

" _I don't know. It's just that I...let us go home. I have some ice cream we can celebrate your new wands with,"_ said Eleanor. With that, she also walked up towards the Leaky Cauldron with the two girls right behind.

 **XXXXXXX**

 **Hogwarts, Late at night, Wednesday, 31st July. 1991.**

Albus Dumbledore sat down in his chair, while his tired eyes stared at the desk he had spent too much time at in the last month. Then he turned his eyes towards the phoenix who sat on the perch next to the desk. The large bird cleaned his red and golden feathers with relaxing movements.

" _It's in times like this I envy you, Fawkes,"_ said Dumbledore with a smile to the bird. When he heard a faint creak from the door, he knew someone had just entered his office.

A black haired, elderly lady in a green robe came wandering over the floor against the Headmaster. _"Good evening, Albus,"_ said the lady.

" _Ah, Professor McGonagall. What can I do for you tonight?"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Perhaps it should have been me who asked that question to you? You look exhausted."_

" _Nothing to worry about, dear Minerva. I have recently returned from a small...discussion with Pandora Lovegood."_

" _If this...discussion was like the others you've had with her lately, then I understand your condition better,"_ said McGonagall. _"But I don't understand why she needs to raise her voice such. When she went here, she wasn't so angry as she is now. Maybe I should speak with..."_ She stopped talking when Dumbledore raised a finger in front of her.

" _Mrs Lovegood only wish to protect her daughter. Because of this, she sees things in a different way than we do,"_ said Albus and became silent.

" _But she's aware of what's at stake, right?"_ asked McGonagall.

" _Of course she does, but it doesn't make it any easier for her."_

" _Well, I guess you're right. So what was it Pandora wanted to...discuss this time?"_

" _She and Mrs Granger were at Ollivanders today to find wands for their daughters,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Like so many other children these days, so I don't understand her problem,"_ said McGonagall.

" _Yes, but I doubt many children leave Ollivanders with a wand which is 1500 years old,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _1500 years old?"_ gasped McGonagall. _"But...but...why would he sell such an old wand to Pandora's daughter?"_

" _Actually, he didn't sell them. They had been paid for earlier, so Ollivander gave them to the girls."_

" _Them? There were two wands? And he gave them for free to the girls?"_

Dumbledore nodded.

" _Let me see if I understand you correctly now?"_ said McGonagall. _"They went to Mr Ollivanders today? He gave each of the girls a wand which is 1500 years old? Without payment because someone already had paid for them?"_

Dumbledore nodded with a laugh. He couldn't avoid feeling a slight amusement when seeing his friend so confused.

" _Why? Who?"_ asked McGonagall.

" _Because of an oath that was given by Emmet Ollivander a long time ago,"_ replied Dumbledore. He told McGonagall everything which had happened at Ollivanders earlier in the day.

When Dumbledore had finished explaining, McGonagall sat on a chair, shocked over what she just had been told. _"These wands must be very special. Did you get a chance to look at them?"_

Dumbledore shook his head. _"My meeting with Mrs Lovegood was at her house, but her daughter wasn't home. Apparently, Miss Lovegood has spent a lot of time together with Miss Granger this year."_

" _Do you think it's because they..."_

Before McGonagall finished the sentence, Dumbledore once again shook his head. _"They can only suggest specific actions, or as I prefer to call it, give them a push in the right direction. Even then, the girls must actually wish to do what is suggested. What happened with Miss Granger the night Voldemort came, was unique and must have been done at a high price. I don't think any of them will do so again unless they need to."_ Dumbledore stood up and walked around the table until he stood in front of McGonagall. _"Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood only had each other before they met Miss Weasley. It's not unnatural to expect that the girls would have a strong friendship with each other by now."_

" _Is Miss Granger still unhappy that you didn't tell them about Miss Weasley earlier?"_ asked McGonagall.

" _Of course she is,"_ answered Dumbledore and laughed. _"But I don't believe she fully understands why. One day she will, but not yet."_

" _When do you intend to tell them the truth?"_

" _I'm not sure,"_ replied Dumbledore who once again was sitting behind his desk. _"Too early and they won't be ready. Too late and they won't have time to be ready. For now, we can only wait and see how they progress."_

" _I wish we could do this differently. Albus, they are only children,"_ said McGonagall.

" _I know,"_ said Dumbledore.

McGonagall sighed. _"Anyway, what else do you know about these wands?"_

" _There is nothing to tell. I'm just as surprised as Mrs Lovegood and you about these wands,"_ answered Dumbledore. He laid his folded hands on the desk and looked earnestly at Minerva. _"Mrs Lovegood believe it was Maya who sold the heartstrings and later returned the wands to Emmet."_

If this came as a surprise to McGonagall, she hid it well. " _I have to agree with Pandora on this. Nothing surprises me any longer when it comes to that old hag of a woman. Why haven't Maya told you about these wands? Did she not swore that she had told you everything? That's what you said at least."_

" _Perhaps she forgot it? She's very old and..."_

McGonagall abruptly stood up and slammed her hands into the desk. _"ALBUS, STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR HER ALL THE TIME!"_

" _Now you're shouting at me also,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Maybe because I begin to understand why Pandora does that towards you. We both know that Maya's memory is annoyingly perfect. That...woman never forget anything. If you asked her what she had for dinner on this day for ten years ago, she definitely would be able to answer you."_

" _Steak with potato, carrots and pea stew,"_ said suddenly a voice from behind McGonagall. Maya had entered through the door and now walked towards the others as if she owned the office. _"It was at a restaurant in southern Italy. The chef was very charming, but he could have cooked the steak a bit longer."_

" _I'm sure it's a coincidence that you're here now,"_ said McGonagall while crossing her arms.

" _You still don't trust me,"_ said Maya with a smile.

" _Trust doesn't come by itself. You have to earn it,"_ said McGonagall and added, _"But you don't seem to doing a good job at this."_

" _No, but that's because you will never trust me. Why should I waste time and energy on something that will never change?"_ said Maya.

McGonagall turned towards Dumbledore and slapped a letter down on his desk. _"This was the reason I came here tonight. Good night, Albus,"_ said McGonagall. She turned around on her heel and marched out of the room.

" _It would be nice if you didn't offend the other teachers all the time,"_ said Dumbledore. He opens the letter, read through it quickly and sets it aside. _"Maybe you don't need their trust, but I do. The few of us who knows the truth can't do this alone. We're going to need the help from the other teachers, even though they don't realise it themselves. For that, I need them to trust me."_

" _I still think it's a mistake to involve so many of the school's teachers into this,"_ said Maya.

" _It's necessary. With so many of them, the chance that they will end up in the same house is unlikely,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _You're still the school's Headmaster? Aren't you?"_ asked Maya.

Dumbledore looked over to a shelf where the school's Sorting Hat laid dormant. _"Yes, but that decision isn't for me to take."_

" _I wish it was,"_ said Maya with an annoyed glare towards the Sorting Hat. _"So who of your teachers knows everything by now?"_

" _Only McGonagall and Snape, but it can be necessary to include Flitwick and Sprout later."_

Maya sighed. _"Less is better. Fewer voices who can sing for ears that shouldn't hear."_

" _I have the utmost of confidence in all of them. They know of the danger if this comes out and have sworn to never mention it to anyone else."_

" _Let's hope they will stay faithful to their words. It was so much easier last time, but the world has changed a lot since then."_

" _Maya, I need to ask you about something important,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Of course,"_ replied Maya.

" _Was it you who sold two heartstrings from a dragon to Emmet Ollivander for about 1500 years ago?"_

" _Yes,"_ answered Maya while studying a book she had found. _"It was the year 458. In the evening on an early summer day."_

" _And 30 years later, you returned the wands Emmet made with these heartstrings?"_

" _That was in the year 487, late autumn. It rained the day I gave them to Emmet. As if the sky was crying with me."_ Maya put the book back on the shelf.

For the first time since Dumbledore had met Maya, he could see a faint sign of sorrow in the woman's eyes. _"Who owned the wands?"_

Gone was the sorrow when Maya turned to Dumbledore. Her green eyes were again strict as usual. _"He never told you?"_

" _I'm not sure. But perhaps you could help me remember?"_ said Dumbledore.

" _No."_

" _Didn't you say that we should share what we knew with each other?"_

" _You will find out with time. It's not something you should worry about right now,"_ said Maya.

" _Why not?"_

" _It's better this way."_

" _For you or me?"_ asked Dumbledore.

" _The two girls. That's all you need to know about these wands,"_ said Maya. She walked towards the door, but with her hand on the doorknob, Maya stopped. She looked towards Dumbledore again and said, _"I would advise you to not touch the girls' wands. I know you're not him, but she doesn't. If the trace of him still linger inside you and she notices it, she won't hesitate in trying to kill you."_

" _Are you talking about Miss Granger, Miss Lovegood or..."_

" _Neither of them,"_ interrupted Maya. _"I'm talking about my sister."_

" _Your sister? I didn't know you had one,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Good night, Albus,"_ said Maya.

" _Wait, one last question,"_ said Dumbledore quickly. He held up the letter McGonagall had left behind. _"Why him?"_

" _Why not?"_

" _I have suspected for a long time that he was your source. Who else could stand up against so many Aurors that night. What interest does he have in this?"_

" _Ask him. I'm sure he's eager to meet you again after such a long time,"_ answered Maya.

" _You can't trust him. I had hoped he would remain hidden after his escape,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _And who made it possible for him to escape?"_

On that question, Dumbledore didn't answer her.

" _You should worry more about the other one than your old friend,"_ said Maya. She went through the door and was gone.

Dumbledore stared for a long time at the closed door, but then he turned his attention back to the letter. He lifted it up and read it for the second time.

 _'Secrets and lies. We all share these qualities. We did it in the past, and we do it in the present, but will we in the future? None of us trust the others or ourselves enough to tell the truth to those who need it the most. Perhaps because we believe we have the control?_

 _He's out there, waiting for the right moment. I have warned Maya several times about his return, but she doesn't listen. Her age has made Maya arrogant and dangerously confident in herself. All that matters to her is the ultimate goal, which makes her blind to the dangers along the way._

 _No longer can I sit still and hope Maya will see reason in time. My return has come if we are to save our world._

 _Will you this time set aside our old feuds and stand with me, or must we again dance while the world burns under our feet?'_

How long Dumbledore sat with the letter in his hand was unsure, but in the end, he muttered to himself in the dark. _"You should have kept yourself hidden when you had the chance, Gellert Grindelwald."_

 **XXXXXXX**

 **The Granger house, Midnight, Wednesday, 31st July. 1991.**

" _You can't sleep?"_ asked Luna. She looked at the motionless figure next to her in the dark, one the blond knew didn't sleep.

" _Too many thoughts in my head. Sorry if I woke you up,"_ replied Hermione. She rolled her head to the side and smiled at Luna.

Even before the two girls had met, was Hermione already far ahead of her peers when it came to reading books. Every evening, the young girl's bed was filled with the books she read. It wasn't a problem for her parents, except when the books fell on the floor after Hermione had fallen asleep. When the Granger's moved to the current house, Hermione had been given a large bed because of her reading habits. This came in handy when Luna stayed with the Granger's for a day or two. Instead of setting up a guest bed for Luna, the two girls shared Hermione's bed that had enough room for them both. Over the years as the girls got older, Hermione's mother asked if Luna wanted a bed for herself. But by then the two girls had become so accustomed to each other's company, that they continued to share Hermione's bed.

" _You didn't wake me,"_ said Luna.

" _So you can't sleep either?"_ asked Hermione.

" _I have slept a bit, but it was as if I could sense your unrest. Maybe that's what woke me."_

" _So it doesn't bother you at all? What we saw and heard at Ollivanders today?"_

Luna stretched out to her wand on the nightstand. Then she made a swift movement with the wand and said, _"Lumos."_ A warm, white light spread out from the tip of the wand and filled the room. _"Knowing that this was made for 1500 year ago, gives me a slightly strange feeling. It feels like I have had it for a long time. Like I have found an old...friend?"_

" _I know. It's the same for me, but..."_

" _But what?"_

" _I also feel a kind of sorrow from using it,"_ said Hermione. _"I know. It sounds ridiculous, right?"_

" _So why do you worry so much? Is it because of those feelings? That we apparently have owned these wands before? Or the vision we had?"_

" _What about all of them?"_ replied Hermione. _"Also, isn't it strange that none of us remembered to ask Ollivander one crucial question? How he knew that these wands would choose us?"_

" _Nox,"_ said Luna, and the room became dark again. After laying the wand back on the nightstand, she crept closer to Hermione and put her arm around the brunette.

" _Luna, what are you doing,"_ whispered Hermione. For a moment, she was on the verge of jumping out of the bed.

" _Do you remember the first years? When you were afraid of your magic?"_

" _Well, yes...but..."_

" _You always had trouble sleeping. But when I lay like this, it seemed like my presence chased away your fear."_

" _I remember."_

" _It's been years since the last time we did this, but if it can make you sleep..."_

Hermione sighed. _"You don't have to do this for me."_

" _No,"_ replied Luna. She got sleepy again. _"But I don't mind doing it. To be honest...I've missed it."_ Luna expected more protests, but instead, she felt that Hermione's body relaxed and sank into Luna's embrace. _"Remember. You and me. One step at a time,"_ whispered Luna just before she fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N: I'm sorry that the update comes so late, but the winter hasn't been good for me this year. We got 1,5 m of snow and in periods temperatures down to -25, which is considered a good winter in my area. But I also struggled with the flu and a couple of colds the last months, so my writing has suffered because of this. Fortunately, Lady Spring is trying to chase King Winter away now, and we'll soon get warm weather and green grass even up here.**

 **I'll also thank you for the reviews I've received.**

 **This chapter is longer than what I usually write, but there wasn't any good place to stop, and I also didn't wish to cut it in half. The progress on next chapter is going well, so it shouldn't take so long before next update this time.**

 **XXXXXXX**

 **King's Cross Station, Early morning, Sunday, 1st September. 1991.**

" _Are you sure you've packed everything?"_ asked Eleanor.

" _Mum! We have gone through the list five times already. There is nothing that's missing,"_ said Hermione. She shook her head and helped Luna to get her trunk on the luggage trolley. _"Besides, we wrote that list together, so everything should be there."_

" _I wanted to make sure you had everything you need,"_ said Eleanor.

Hermione almost had to bite her tongue so she wouldn't say something she would regret. The last days before the girls should take the train to Hogwarts had been an utter chaos. Together with their mothers, they had made a long list of what to bring with them to the school. Their school uniform, personal clothes, lots of books, the cauldron for their potions class and many other things. Pandora had added an extension and feather-light charm on each of the girls' trunk, or else it wouldn't have been room for everything inside them. Just the amount of books Hermione had brought with her would have required a trunk alone.

" _Dear Mrs Granger. If the girls are missing something, then there are ways to send it to them,"_ said Xenophilius.

" _He's right, but we should begin to walk to the platform now. The train will leave soon, and the station is packed with people today,"_ said Pandora.

Hermione pushed her trolley through the crowds at King's Cross Station. As Pandora had pointed out, and despite it being Sunday, there were a lot of people at the station. By aiming for every gap in the crowd she could find, Hermione was soon halfway to the entrance of platform nine and three-quarters. She had only stopped a few times to make sure Luna hadn't lost sight of the brunette. Luckily, the blonde girl had kept herself close and was only two feet behind Hermione.

" _Did you see our parents?"_ asked Hermione.

Lune shook her head in response. _"I'm sure my dad is the reason for their delay. He isn't used to being around so many Muggles."_

" _And what about you?"_

" _I manage."_

" _Okay, but tell me if you're having problems,"_ said Hermione. She turned around and continued through the crowd. The blonde had been with the Granger's on several trips in the Muggle world over the years. So why was Hermione still worried about Luna? As their departure had crawled ever closer, Hermione's unrest for Luna's safety had become stronger. Hermione had tried to understand the reason behind this feeling, but to the girl's frustration, she failed.

" _Hey, watch out!"_ yelled an elderly, bearded man out as Hermione almost drove over him with her trolley.

" _Sorry,"_ said Hermione. This wasn't the right place for deep thoughts, so Hermione focused on finding her way through the crowd again. Soon she stopped next to the barrier where the hidden entrance to platform nine and three-quarters was. Pandora had told the girl about it and how to get through, but seeing it with her own eyes made Hermione sceptical.

" _It will not bite you,"_ said Luna, who now stood next to the brunette.

" _I know that,"_ said Hermione. Logically speaking, the idea of running against a solid brick barrier was madness. Magically speaking, it made all the sense in the world. This was the problem with having one foot in each of the worlds. _"Still no sign of our parents?"_

Luna looked into the crowd. _"Can't see them."_

" _Let us go inside. I don't want to risk the train leaving without us,"_ said Hermione. She looked at the barrier one more time before she headed straight towards it. Right before she hit the barrier, Hermione closed her eyes and hoped to not hear a loud bang. It never came. Instead, it became silent for a second, before she again could hear the noise from a lot of people. Hermione opened her eyes and saw a train platform full of Witches and Wizards of all ages. A scarlet steam engine stood waiting on the rails, while a sign hanging on the wall said: **Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock.**

" _So many people,"_ said Luna, who had followed the other girl through the hidden entrance.

" _Yes, there are,"_ responded Hermione. Many of the children were already aboard the train while others stood on the platform with their families. When she saw all the students, Hermione became worried about how she and Luna would get through all seven years without being detected. Maybe the idea of social camouflage wasn't so bad after all? _"Okay, it's too late for us to go back now. Let us see if we can find an empty compartment and get the luggage on board. Our parents will find us."_

Both girls pushed their trolleys down the platform towards the end of the train. It looked like the carriages closest to the steam engine were already full. The girls could only hope the last carriage also wasn't full yet. Halfway down the platform, they saw some familiar faces on the train. Fred and George Weasleys heads were sticking out of a window on one of the carriages. They looked to be talking with someone on the outside, likely their parents.

" _Do you think Ginny is with them?"_ asked Luna.

" _I believe so,"_ said Hermione. _"I would like to talk with her now, but we don't have the time."_

They reached the end and luckily found the last compartment in the rearmost carriage empty. After the girls' luggage was on board, their parents finally caught up with them.

" _There they are. I told you it was nothing to worry about,"_ said Pandora to Eleanor.

Eleanor quickly came over to Hermione with a stressed expression on her face. _"Why didn't you wait outside the entrance for us? I was afraid you would miss the train."_

" _Sorry Mum, but I didn't know how much time we had left. I decided it was best to keep going so we wouldn't miss it,"_ answered Hermione.

" _Your luggage is already on board?"_ asked Pandora.

Both girls nodded.

" _Good,"_ said Pandora with a smile. She looked out over all the people and became serious. When she was sure nobody could hear them, Pandora went down on a knee next to the girls. _"Take good care of each other now. Remember what we have taught you about how to protect yourself at the school. Stay together. Do not seek attention if you can avoid it and the most important thing, be careful about who you trust. If you get any problems, talk with one of the Heads of Houses. They know of the situation and will help you contact Dumbledore."_

" _Mum, you seem so sad?"_ said Hermione and went over to her mother.

" _I'm fine. It's so...difficult to let go of you, knowing you'll be outside of my reach. I haven't felt so helpless since...he...left us."_

Hermione grabbed her mother's hands and forced out a smile. _"Don't worry about me. Luna will be there to watch out for me, and I'll do the same with her."_

" _I know that my sweetheart,"_ said Eleanor as the train blew its whistle. _"The train is leaving. You should get back on the carriage."_

The girls climbed aboard the train and into their compartment, closed the door and stuck their heads out the window as the train begun moving. They waved to their parents who became smaller and smaller as the speed rose. Not long after, they closed the window and sat down next to each other on one of the seats.

" _We're finally on our way, but I don't feel as happy as I thought I would,"_ said Hermione.

" _Happiness would be preferable, but we must accept what we have at the moment and learn to live with it,"_ said Luna. She stroked carefully over Hermione's forehead and pushed aside a few strands of hair. _"This is painful for our parents, but as with us, they will become stronger and survive."_

" _I know, but it doesn't become easier for that reason,"_ replied Hermione.

Then, someone knocked on the door to their compartment. Hermione looked towards the door and sighed when she saw who stood outside. She stood up, walked to the door and opened it. _"What do you want?"_

A tall, skinny boy with freckles and a familiar red hair stood outside in the corridor. To begin with, he only looked at Hermione with hopeful eyes before he finally spoke. _"Sorry Hermione, but there are so full everywhere, and we can't find a place to stay. Could we share with you?"_

" _We?"_ asked Hermione and looked around in the corridor. It didn't take long before she discovered who 'we' was. A couple of feet away from the door, she could see two boys leaning against the wall and stared back at her. One of them was the same boy with black hair and round glasses from Madam Malkin a month earlier. The other was a very chubby boy with blond hair and blue eyes. None of them said anything while their eyes met each other, but it was clear that the black-haired boy remembered Hermione from Diagon Alley. This created a dilemma for Hermione.

The red-haired boy in front of Hermione was Ronald Weasley, Ginny's youngest brother. Hermione and Ron, whom he preferred to be called, had met each other several times in the past year. They weren't exactly friends so to speak. Most of the time, they said hello to each other and not much else. Had Ron been alone, Hermione wouldn't have had a problem with letting him share the compartment with them. But this Potter boy made Hermione nervous. _"Fine, but don't make too much of a mess in here,"_ she said and sat down with Luna again.

" _Thanks, Hermione,"_ said Ron and sat down on the opposite seat. Shortly after, the two other boys also entered the compartment. Potter glared intensively at the girls, just like in the Diagon Alley, before he closed the door and sat down next to the window. Ron sat close to the door while the blond boy hesitated before he sat down between the other two.

For a long period, there was an absolute silence inside the compartment. The girls exchanged short glances with Ron who apparently didn't feel comfortable with the situation. Potter kept staring out the window, but now and then, he gave the others a brief glance. The blond boy's eyes constantly wandered around as if he wasn't sure where to look.

Their newly arrived 'guests' prevented the girls from discussing how things would be for them at Hogwarts. The two girls had spent a lot of time on this topic the previous month, but for Hermione, there were still a few unanswered questions left. Annoyed that she wouldn't get those answers now, Hermione pulled a thick, black book out from her trunk and started to read.

This book seemed to interest the black-haired boy. _"'The Dark side of Charms.' I can't remember having seen that book on my list? Also, it looks a bit too advanced for you?"_ said Potter almost accusing.

Without taking her eyes away from the book, Hermione replied, _"You're right, it's not on the list. And you're wrong, it's not too advanced for me."_

" _You like dark magic?"_ asked Potter.

" _No,"_ answered Hermione grumpy.

" _So, why do you read about it then?"_ asked Potter.

Hermione slammed the book together and stared furiously at the black-haired boy. _"Because if you want to protect yourself from dark magic, you need to know how it works first. Besides, it's not your bloody business what I'm reading."_ She stood up, dropped the book on her seat and marched out of the compartment. The corridor outside was mostly empty, apart from two older girls who disappeared into a compartment further down. Hermione walked down the corridor until she reached the window at the end of the train carriage. There she stood, looking at the landscape which passed by. It didn't take long before Hermione heard steps coming towards her. But when she looked aside, it wasn't the expected blonde girl Hermione saw, but Ron.

" _Hermione?"_

" _Who are these two?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Harry Potter and Dudley Dursley. We met them on the platform before the train left the station,"_ said Ron and looked out of the same window as Hermione. _"They are cousins. Their mothers are sisters, and Harry's mother is an old friend of my mother. So Mum thought it would be a good idea if I kept Harry and Dudley with company on the trip to Hogwarts."_

" _Well, Harry doesn't seem to appreciate having you around. And Dudley,... he looks like he's ready to run away for all the wrong reasons."_

Ron grinned. _"Harry and I share the same feeling then. I didn't wish to do this, but you know how Mum is when she gets such ideas?"_

Hermione knew well what Ron was talking about. Ron's mother, Molly Weasley, was the sweetest and kindest person you could think of. But if you did something foolish, then Molly wouldn't show you any mercy. It didn't matter who you were because Molly wasn't known for holding back on her scoldings. _"And I guess Harry's mother isn't someone you should mess with either? After all, Harry follows you without any resistance?"_

" _Nope! He tried to protest, but he didn't have a chance at all. Harry's mother is one scary woman. I'm bloody sure that even a dragon would have obeyed her commands."_

" _Still, I don't like Harry. There is something strange about him,"_ said Hermione.

" _Bloody hell, Hermione. How can you know after such a short time? Are..."_ Ron looked around in the corridor, but it was still empty. _"Are you psychic too?"_

" _No, but this isn't the first time I've seen Harry,"_ replied Hermione. _"When we were in Diagon Alley for our school equipment, we saw him at Madam Malkin. It seemed Harry had recently argued with another boy who stormed out the door in front of us. Madam Malkin was very stressed when we entered, so there must have been a serious dispute between Harry and the other one."_ The landscape continued to rush past the window while Hermione pondered on the new situation. _"What about Dudley? He doesn't seem to enjoy being around Harry any more than you?"_

Ron sighed. _"To be honest, I'm not sure what's going on between them. Dudley hasn't said a single word so far. He follows Harry around like a frightened dog or something."_

" _I don't have Luna's ability to understand other people, but even I can see that Dudley have some serious problems,"_ said Hermione.

" _It wouldn't surprise me if he..."_ started Ron to say, but was interrupted by loud yelling. It came from one of the compartments further down the corridor.

Hermione became terrified when she realised where the yelling came from. Outside the compartment where Luna was, two unknown boys stood and blocked the entrance. With swift steps, Hermione marched towards them.

" _There's nothing for you to see here,"_ said one of the boys and placed himself in front of Hermione.

" _Move away, or I'll do it for you,"_ said Hermione with a sharp snarl.

The boy moved half a step back and seemed scared, but he continued to block the way.

Hermione had no interest in asking again. Instead, from the pocket of her blue, hooded jacket, she pulled out her wand and pointed it towards the boy. She heard Ron shout in the background that she shouldn't do it, but it was too late. _"Depulso,"_ said Hermione.

White light poured out the tip of Hermione's wand and pushed the boy with such a strong force that he flew backwards. The second boy tried to stop the first one, but instead, he was being dragged along with the first one. Both sailed across the floor and into the wall at the end of the corridor. Before Hermione reached the compartment, a third boy came out of the open door. At first, he looked at the two other boys who struggled to get on their feet, then he turned his head towards Hermione. It was the same blond boy they had met in the door at Madam Malkin.

" _How dare you to interfere..."_ he tried to say, but quickly closed his mouth. The tip of Hermione's wand was only a couple of inches away from his head.

" _Who are you?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Malfoy, D..Draco Mal..foy,"_ stammered the boy.

Hermione stared into the compartment and saw that everything was okay with Luna. Then Hermione moved her eyes to Harry who now stood on the floor, just as sour as at Madam Malkin. Dudley sat as far into the corner of the seat he could and tried to make himself as small as possible. Knowing that Luna hadn't been hurt, Hermione turned her attention back towards Draco. _"I don't know what the problem between you and Harry is and honestly, I don't care. But if you two absolutely want to fight over it, then do it far away from Luna. Do you understand?"_ said Hermione.

" _You have to be a filthy Muggle to not know of my family,"_ said Draco. Some of his courage seemed to have returned.

The tip of Hermione's wand begun glowing ominously green and with a fierce growl, she said, _"Get lost while you can and take the trash on the floor with you."_

Draco moved backwards while his hateful glare was locked onto Hermione. Shortly after, Draco disappeared into the next carriage with the two other boys right behind him.

With a loud snort, Hermione put away her wand, pulled Ron into the compartment and closed the door behind her with a deafening bang.

" _I didn't need help with Malfoy,"_ said Harry with crossed arms.

With much more force than needed, Hermione pushed the black-haired boy down into the seat and bent forwards to him. _"As long as you're a guest in our compartment, it doesn't matter what you think you need or not. If you and that other jerk need to argue with each other, do it far away from Luna and me."_ She then dropped herself down next to Luna and glared at Harry.

" _I wasn't in any danger,"_ said Luna with a soft voice.

" _Perhaps not, but I wasn't willing to take the chance,"_ said Hermione less annoyed.

Luna smiled. _"You're cute when you're angry, but I prefer to see you with a happy smile."_

" _Luna!"_ whispered Hermione blushing.

" _There's the Hermione I like,"_ said Luna, pushing away some hair from Hermione's forehead.

" _I take Harry and Dudley with me to the luggage carriage, so we can change to our school robes. Our trunks are there,"_ said Ron and added. _"If that's okay with you?"_

Hermione only nodded and saw the three boys leaving the compartment.

 **XXXXXXX**

Ron pulled Harry with him down the corridor towards the luggage carriage while Dudley stumbled after them. Oddly enough, Harry didn't protest against this treatment. He followed without a word until they reached the door to the luggage carriage.

" _Ronald,"_ said Harry, holding the redhead back.

Ron turned around and said, _"Call me Ron. Everyone else does. Only my parents call me Ronald and usually when I'm in trouble."_

" _Of course...Ron,"_ replied Harry. _"Who are those girls?"_

" _I told you when we found them. They are Ginny's best friends. You remember her from the platform?"_

" _I heard you and remember, but still. Who are they...really?"_

" _Who they really are?"_ Ron leaned against the wall and let his head fall back until it hit the wall with a thump. What should he say? The full truth was out of the question. If anyone found out that Hermione and Luna had wild magic, they likely would discover the connection between them and Ron's sister. And if that happened, Ron could just as well find the nearest high cliff and jump. His parents would never forgive him if something happened to their only daughter because of him.

" _Yes,"_ said Harry. _"I heard what Malfoy said about Hermione being a Muggle. But if that's the case, how can she already use such advanced magic? Depulso isn't something you learn in the first years at Hogwarts."_

'Think,' said Ron to himself inside his head. _"Do you have anything against Muggles?"_

" _My mother is Muggle-born,"_ said Harry and looked at Dudley. _"And Dudley's parents are both Muggles, so no!"_

" _I can give you the short version about them,"_ said Ron. This would give him the opportunity to avoid certain things and not have to lie.

" _Fine by me,"_ replied Harry.

Ron searched the corridor to ensure no one could hear them before he started to tell. _"Yes, Hermione is Muggle-born, but she has lived in our world since she was around two years old. I don't know why she moved here, so no point asking. Luna is born in our world, but I don't know much about her family. Only that some consider them a bit...weird. According to what my sister told me, Hermione and Luna have grown up together. You rarely see one of them without the other being nearby."_

" _This doesn't explain Hermione's skills within magic. My mother has taught me a lot, and I've also learned a few things on my own. But it's mostly easy magic for everyday use and nothing so advanced as what Hermione did,"_ said Harry.

'Why was Harry so interested in Hermione's magical skills?' thought Ron. _"They are both pretty smart. Hermione reads a lot and has a good memory, so it may be that she remembered the spell from a book?"_ answered Ron and shrugged.

" _Maybe. Hermione also appears to be very protective of Luna. Do you know why?"_ asked Harry.

" _Nope,"_ replied Ron. _"I haven't talked much with the girls, not even when they visited my family. Hermione and Luna are mostly with my sister, out in the woods. What they do there isn't my problem, and I'm not stupid enough to bother them."_ Ron knew well what the girls did in the forest, but Harry didn't need to know this.

" _Okay. Thanks for your answers,"_ said Harry.

" _Not a problem,"_ said Ron and was about to open the door into the luggage carriage, but stopped. _"One more thing. It's not my problem to be honest, but it will save you both a lot of trouble later."_

" _Oh?"_ said Harry.

" _Don't take Hermione's 'advice' on keeping your fight with Malfoy away from Luna lightly,"_ said Ron with as much seriousness he could. _"What you saw today isn't even close to how mad Hermione can get."_

" _How much worse? Could she...kill me,"_ said Harry smiling.

Ron didn't laugh, he only nodded.

" _You're not joking?"_ said Harry.

" _No. I wish I were joking, but I'm not,"_ said Ron. _"It was an event last summer where Hermione...never mind. I would rather not talk about it."_

" _Bad memory?"_ asked Harry.

" _Yes. A terrible one,"_ said Ron.

" _What happened?"_ asked Harry.

Ron sighed. He would prefer not to tell, but it could prevent any more events like the one in the compartment. _"Fine. Fred and George, two of my brothers, love to create pranks and test them on other people. They had made a new one and were looking for a target. Unfortunately for them, they choose Luna."_

" _Then they were stupid, considering how protective Hermione is of Luna,"_ said Harry.

" _They didn't know. None of us did,"_ said Ron. _"This was only a month after Hermione and Luna met Ginny for the first time. So except for Ginny, most of us didn't know much about the girls yet."_

" _But I met Fred and George on the platform, and they seemed fine? Besides, how can a prank be a problem?"_ said Harry.

" _Because as usual, my brothers didn't think ahead, and used the prank in the wrong place. Luna became so scared of the prank that she fell out of an open window on the third floor."_

Harry and Dudley's eyes bulged out hearing this.

" _Luckily, our house has several Charms which prevent things from falling to the ground. They weren't made to stop people, but it worked for Luna."_ Ron sighed again. _"But Hermione didn't know about the Charms, or that they would save Luna. She only saw Luna falling out of the window, several feet above the ground."_

" _I can understand why Hermione became so angry with your brothers then,"_ said Harry.

" _I don't think angry are the right word for how Hermione responded,"_ said Ron. _"My brother Charlie explained it better. He said Hermione exploded with some insane rage."_

" _How...how...did your brothers survive?"_ asked Dudley.

Surprised of hearing Dudley talk, Ron became speechless for a moment. Then he said, _"Thanks to Luna. She grabbed around Hermione, said something only they could hear, and Hermione suddenly calmed down."_ Ron looked into Harry's eyes. _"The friendship of those girls are so...strange that it's hard to explain. So, like I said, don't mess with Luna. Believe me, you'll regret it."_

" _For me, it seems like Luna are the key to controlling Hermione,"_ said Harry.

" _Don't know why you want to control Hermione, but if you try, then you're dumber than I thought,"_ said Ron. He still had nightmares about that day and hoped he never would see Hermione so mad again. _"Fred and George stayed far away from Hermione for months afterwards. They later told me they rather would have fought with a dragon or two, than facing Hermione that day."_ Ron opened the door into the luggage carrier and walked inside, hoping this would stop Harry's questions.

 **XXXXXXX**

" _I know you're afraid, but I can take care of myself,"_ said Luna.

Hermione pulled on her robe and turned to Luna, who also had finished changing into her school uniform. _"I know, but it seems like I can't control myself. My fear that something would happen to you, completely removes all logical thoughts in my mind. Even after all the training we have had, I can't push the negative feelings out the window when it comes to you. The strangest thing is...sometimes...sometimes it feels like it's not my anger."_

Luna tilted her head to the side and looked at Hermione. _"Not your anger? Why haven't you told me about this before?"_

" _Because I'm not sure,"_ said Hermione with a sigh. She dropped down into the seat and stared at the floor. _"When I get angry, I reach a certain level before I remember what we have learned. I try to calm down, regain the control, but then it's like my anger is flaring up again. It pushes me over the limits of my control and...and...bad things happen."_

Luna sat down next to Hermione, grabbed the brunette's hand and stroked circles on it with her thumb. _"Do you trust me?"_

" _Of course! Why wouldn't I?"_

" _Trust me then when I say you can control your anger. If you truly wish to protect me, do so with happiness, not with anger. Seeing you smile always makes me feel safer."_

Hermione smiled while a tiny, happy tear floated down her cheek. _"I shall try to...no, I will remember it next time."_

" _I know you will,"_ said Luna when someone knocked on the door.

" _It must be the boys who are back,"_ said Hermione. She went to the door, raised the curtain and discovered it wasn't the three boys standing outside. Instead, it was a round-faced boy with a desperate look on his face. Hermione opened the door and asked, _"Can we help you with something?"_

" _Sorry for me disturbing you, but...but have you seen a toad?"_ asked the boy.

" _A toad?"_ said Hermione.

The boy nodded. _"I've lost him, and now I can't find him."_

" _We'll help you search for your toad,"_ said Luna and jumped up from the seat. She looked at Hermione with a beaming smile and asked, _"Isn't that right, Hermione?"_

Searching for a toad wasn't something Hermione wanted right now. But when she saw the happiness in Luna's eyes, it was hard to refuse. _"Of course,"_ replied Hermione. _"What's your name?"_

" _Neville Longbottom,"_ answered the boy.

" _Hello, Neville. This is Hermione Granger, and I'm Luna Lovegood. Now, where did you last see your toad?"_

" _Trevor sat beside me on the seat inside our compartment. I only talked with one of the girls there for a minute, and suddenly he was gone,"_ said Neville.

" _Does Trevor often run away?"_ asked Luna.

Neville nodded, looking a bit embarrassed. _"I got him from my great-uncle this summer, but it seems like Trevor doesn't like me."_

" _Perhaps he's a free soul and wish to explore new places?"_ said Luna.

" _You think?"_ said Neville.

Hermione just rolled her eyes, but without Luna seeing it. _"Since we're in the last passenger carriage on the train, maybe we should split up? It would make it faster to search for your toad."_

Both Neville and Luna agreed that it was a good idea. So Neville went to the first compartment they came to while Luna moved to the one after Neville and Hermione the third one. With this pattern where each of them went to every third compartment, it made the trio's search much quicker. Which was why Hermione's had suggested it. In her mind, this was a waste of time. How should they be able to find a small toad aboard a large train?

For each compartment where Hermione asked after Neville's toad, she realised something strange. There were more students on the train than what she had seen on the platform at King's Cross. Few of the compartment's had any vacant seats. There was a free one here and there, but most places were completely full of students. Most of them were nice and answered Hermione's question, while others were less pleased with being interrupted by such a simple matter. Irritated by their rude behaviour, Hermione wanted to yell at them, but then she remembered something. She wasn't much better herself. Hermione had almost shouted at Ron when he arrived with the other two boys. And as with Neville, she had wanted to close the door in front of him. Luna could be right. It wouldn't hurt if Hermione smiled more often than she did?

Hermione soon came to a new compartment and looked inside, but instead of opening the door, she swiftly moved away from it. Inside, Draco Malfoy and the two other thugs had been sitting together with a girl and a dark-skinned boy. Fortunately, none of them seemed to have noticed Hermione. It also had been the last compartment in this carriage, so Hermione waited for the other two at the end of the corridor.

" _I hope Trevor isn't with those people,"_ said Neville when the trio was gathered again. He also had looked inside the last compartment.

" _You know them?"_ asked Hermione.

Neville nodded heavily. _"You don't want to be seen around them if you can avoid it. Some say their parents fought with You-Know-Who, but somehow avoided Azkaban after the war."_

" _There wasn't anything to avoid, Longbottom. Every accusation against my parents was a lie,"_ said a voice from the compartment door they just had passed. Draco was standing there with a smug smile and looked at the trio.

Then the dark-skinned boy came out of the compartment and stared at them.

" _Blaise, what do you think about this sorry lot?"_ asked Draco.

" _Not worth my time,"_ said Blaise and went inside again.

Now the girl stuck her head out the door, and with a superior smile she asked, _"Which of them attacked you, Draco?"_

" _The filthy Muggle with brown hair,"_ replied Draco.

" _We should teach her a lesson. She needs to find her place in our world,"_ said the girl.

Hermione could feel her rage increasing again and how her hand squeezed her wand inside the pocket. Ready to pull it out and 'teach' those two idiots a lesson instead.

" _Strange,"_ said Luna suddenly. _"I didn't know that someone could own our world. Was it expensive? Or have you won it in a lottery?"_

The smile disappeared from Draco and the girl's faces.

Hermione's anger vanished, and instead, she struggled to not giggle at how stunned Draco was looking now.

Luna kept talking in a serious tone. _"I should ask my parents if we could also buy a part of our world. There is a place next to a pond not far from our house which I like. In the summer, there are growing some beautiful flowers there. And there is also a small colony of fairies nearby. I see them often around the pond. But, would it not be rude to not share this with others? Hm..."_

" _They allow anyone in these days,"_ said the girl.

" _Careful what you say, Pansy. The Muggle has a temper. She could begin barking at you,"_ said Draco smirking.

Hermione walked forward to Draco who now seemed less comfortable where he stood. _"You should thank Luna instead of insulting her,"_ said Hermione. _"I gave her a promise, and I intend to maintain it. Without it, I wouldn't mind showing you some other 'fun' things I've learned about magic."_ With these words, Hermione turned to Neville and said, _"I'm sorry, Neville. I believe the train is almost at Hogwarts by now, so it's unlikely we'll find your toad before that. You should ask one of the teachers when we get to the school. If Trevor is still on the train, they can help you find him."_

Neville sighed. _"Well, it was worth a try. Thanks for the help."_

" _No problem. Luna, let us go back to our compartment,"_ said Hermione and stretched out her hand which the blonde took. Then the two girls walked back to their own carriage.

" _Aw, the Muggle got scared. Look how she runs away with her tail between the legs,"_ shouted Pansy after them.

Hermione stopped and snapped her head around towards Pansy. Draco pushed Pansy into the compartment and closed the door so fast that the glass shattered.

" _What a bunch of morons,"_ mumbled Hermione and continued down the corridor. They could see it had become dark outside, so Hermione's assumption that they were almost at Hogwarts was correct. When they got back at their compartment, the boys had returned, dressed in their school uniforms. As usual, Harry stared out the window, but he seemed less bitter than earlier. He gave the girls a brief glance but returned soon to the window again. Dudley read 'The Standard Book of Spells', so he at least did something useful. While Ron was chewing on some sandwiches he had brought with him.

" _Where have you been,"_ asked Ron with food in his mouth.

" _We helped a boy to search for Mr Trevor, his toad. But it seems like Mr Trevor don't wish to be found,"_ said Luna both delighted and sad simultaneous.

" _Okay. But Hermione, you look a bit...sulky. Don't tell me it's because of a missing toad?"_ said Ron, ignoring the sour stare Luna gave him.

" _We met Draco and his gang under our search,"_ answered Hermione and looked at Luna. _"He was just as charming as last time, but this Pansy girl was almost worse."_

" _Pansy Parkinson isn't someone you should worry about. She clings to anyone who can satisfy her need for attention,"_ said Harry.

" _And how do you know?"_ asked Hermione.

" _I've met her twice in Diagon Alley. She tried to gain my affection each time, but I dislike her kind,"_ said Harry with a sigh. _"Pansy like people who belong to one of the famous families. So it's not surprising that she's hanging around one of the Malfoys right now."_

" _The famous families?"_ said Hermione.

Harry looked astounded at her. _"You have lived in the magical world since you were two years old, but don't know about our worlds most famous families?"_

Hermione looked sharply at Ron who stared at the ceiling. This was one of the problems Hermione had been afraid of since she met Ron for the first time. Ron was a nice person, but he had a bad habit of talking without thinking beforehand. This made it difficult to trust him. Ginny had therefore been doing most of her training in the forest, or at one of her friends' houses. The less Ron saw, the less he could tell. _"Family history in the magical world hasn't been prioritised in my studies,"_ said Hermione.

" _As I told Ron, I have nothing against Muggles,"_ said Harry. _"My mother is Muggle-born, and Dudley's parents are both Muggles. Having said that, you should change your priorities about studying the history of families in the magical world. My mother told me how her Muggle background made it difficult for her in her first years at Hogwarts. Unless you understand how the hierarchy works and how to adapt yourself to it, your time at Hogwarts could become very tough. That's why Mum told me to look after Dudley since he barely knows the magical world and its customs."_

Harry was looking after Dudley? So both Hermione and Harry were a kind of guardian for someone? Except that Harry doesn't seem to take his responsibility seriously. _"Why should I adapt? So I can bow for these 'famous' families and follow their commands?"_ asked Hermione. Under her studies of the history of wild magic, Hermione had never thought about looking into today's social system. Perhaps this was a mistake?

" _I didn't say that. Think about what you told me about dark magic,"_ answered Harry.

It took Hermione a few seconds to think back. Then she said, _"To protect myself from those who oppose the Muggles, I need to understand the hierarchy and use it to my advantage."_

" _Not sure what benefit you expect to get, but your life at Hogwarts will be easier at least,"_ said Harry.

Hermione sighed. What Harry in a way said wasn't much different from what the girls mothers had told them about social camouflage. Did their parents know about this, but for some reason not mentioned it to the girls? Hermione knew that within the magical world, some weren't particularly fond of Muggles. Even so, she had never thought it would be so bad as Harry had explained. This could become a severe problem for her, but Hermione had to find out more first. She was about to ask Harry for more information about the families, but was interrupted when a voice echoed through the train.

" _We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."_

As on a given signal, several of the doors in the carriage was opened at the same moment. Then the students flooded the corridor. The five inside the compartment soon went out to the others where they could feel the train slowed down its speed. Shortly after, it stopped with a jerk which made everyone wobbled back and forth. The doors out opened, and the students pushed their way forwards until they stood on a small, dark platform.

" _It wasn't exactly warm here,"_ whispered Hermione to Luna. Hermione regretted that she hadn't put on something thicker under the robe. She pulled her robe closer to the body in hopes it would help. It didn't.

The cold weather didn't seem to affect Luna much. _"It's refreshing, don't you think?"_ said the blonde with a smile.

" _Easy for you to say,"_ mumbled Hermione. After all the expeditions Luna had been on with her mother, the blonde girl had become used to harsh weather.

" _I could use a spell to enlarge your robe and crawl inside,"_ said Luna. _"Then we could share body heat, so you don't freeze."_

Right there and then was Hermione very happy for the darkness because she blushed like never before. _"I...I'll be fine, but thanks anyway,"_ replied Hermione.

" _Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!"_ said a loud voice out from the dark.

Hermione looked in the direction of the voice and saw a lit lantern who bobbed high in the air. As it came closer, Hermione thought the lantern sat on a long pole, but she then saw it was being held by an enormous hand. Soon they could see that the hand belonged to a gigantic, bearded man walking towards them and stopped next to Harry.

" _All right there, Harry?"_ asked the giant.

" _Yes,"_ mumbled Harry. He seemed a little bothered by this, but the giant didn't care as he continued down the platform.

" _Firs'-years! Any more firs'-years?"_

" _Harry, do you know him?"_ asked Hermione.

Harry nodded. _"His name is Hagrid. My mother has known him since her time at Hogwarts, so he has visited us at times."_

" _He's a half-giant,"_ said Luna.

Again Harry nodded. _"His father was a wizard, while his mother a giantess. Hagrid's mother left him early, and his father died while Hagrid still was in school."_

" _So, he's one of the teachers at Hogwarts now?"_ asked Hermione.

" _No, Hagrid is the gamekeeper here. Something happened in his third year, and he was banned from using magic ever again. He has never told me the reason for this,"_ answered Harry and disappeared after the group who followed the half-giant.

Dudley hadn't seen where Harry went and panicked when discovering his cousin was gone.

" _Dudley, what are you afraid of?"_ asked Hermione. _"Harry will be back soon."_

But Dudley didn't listen to her and also disappeared down the platform when he got a glimpse of Harry further down.

" _He doesn't say much, does he?"_ said Luna sad.

Hermione shook her head. _"No. Dudley must have magical abilities since he's here, but without Harry around, he seems totally lost. After what Harry told us, I should be worried, but for the moment I would say Dudley will struggle more than us."_

" _Firs'-year! Firs'-year, follow me,"_ shouted Hagrid who now returned, followed by a large group of students.

The two girls followed the group as it left the platform and went down on a steep, narrow path. It was dark on both sides of it, but Hermione thought she could see silhouettes of some thick trees. Nobody in the group said anything, except Neville who sniffed a few times, likely because of his missing toad.

" _Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts any second now,"_ said Hagrid in front. _"Jus' round this bend here."_

A few seconds later, an _"Ooooh!"_ came from most of the students.

Luna and Hermione were silent. Seeing the massive castle on the mountain across the flat, dark lake made Hermione feel even colder than before. Instead of the excitement she had expected from seeing Hogwarts rise against the sky, Hermione only felt a mixture of hate and sorrow.

" _No more'n four to a boat,"_ shouted Hagrid. He pointed towards a fleet of little boats which floated in the water next to where the students stood.

Harry and Ron boarded one of the closest boats while Luna almost had to pull Hermione aboard the same boat. Dudley tried to see if it was room for him too but was reluctantly guided by Hagrid to another boat where Neville also sat.

" _I know how you feel right now,"_ whispered Luna to Hermione. _"I'm sensing it too."_

" _I don't understand,"_ whispered Hermione back. _"Of course I'm nervous about the coming time, but...but this feels different...like..."_ Lost for words, she sighed.

" _Like you don't understand why you feel like this? Like your anger?"_ asked Luna.

" _Yes,"_ answered Hermione with a nod. _"Luna, be honest with me. Am I crazy?"_

" _No,"_ said Luna. _"You're as sane as you've always been."_

" _But..."_ said Hermione, but was interrupted by a shouting Hagrid.

" _Everyone in?"_ Hagrid sat in a boat for himself where he looked over the other boats. _"Right then. FORWARD!"_ The echo of Hagrid's voice was barely gone when all the boats left the shore and set course for Hogwarts.

" _Don't think about it now. You'll soon find the answer,"_ whispered Luna. _"You always do."_

Hermione wasn't sure how to find the answer on this, but for now, she would follow the blonde girl's advice. Luna had always been good at understanding people and especially Hermione.

The boats sailed silently across the water. As the school got closer and closer, the sight of it was so overwhelming that the students were speechless. But then the silence was broken.

" _What's that?"_ said a boy from one of the boats and pointed to something. Everyone looked in the direction the boy had pointed and could now see the same as him. A distance away, a sparkling, golden carpet was moving above the surface of the lake.

" _It's coming this way,"_ said a girl from another boat.

Hermione stared at the golden carpet and saw it was moving at high speed towards them.

" _Hagrid, what is it?"_ asked Harry.

" _Not sure,"_ answered Hagrid while trying to get a better look without rolling the boat he sat in.

" _It's Shimmering Star Faeries,"_ said Luna. _"But I didn't know they existed this far north and in such numbers."_

" _Shimmering Star Faeries, yeh say?"_ said Hagrid. _"There is a colony o' 'em deep inside the Forbidden Forest. But wha' are they doin' out here? They usually don' travel far from their nests."_

The golden carpet had now arrived at the boats and circled them.

" _Are they dangerous?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Faeries are kind creatures, but if you annoy them, they can become really nasty towards you,"_ answered Luna.

" _I thought Faeries flew higher than this?"_ said Ron.

" _It's to protect themselves against predators,"_ answered Luna. _"By flying low over the water, the Faeries makes it more dangerous to catch them. Except for a few, most creatures who hunt at night don't want to risk ending up in the water. The Shimmering Star Faeries usually live on land, but they're related to the Glowing Natantis Faeries. They live next to lakes and use their huge wings to float on a small cushion of air on the water surface. I think the Shimmering Star Faeries uses the same technique right now. That's why they move so fast. If they want to slow down, they have to fly higher to use their wings better. If not, they would fall into the lake and drown."_

Harry stared at Luna with enormous eyes while Hermione fought to not giggle. She was used to hearing the blonde talk passionately about magical creatures. With a slight sigh, Hermione wondered what she would have done without Luna by her side. When Hermione became too serious or depressed, Luna always pulled the brunette back into the light. At the same time was Hermione there to ensure the blonde girl didn't disappear entirely into her own world. Although, sometimes Hermione considered joining Luna in her daydreaming.

" _They're leaving us,"_ said the boy who had seen them first.

" _Likely because we're almost at the school. Keep your heads down,"_ said Hagrid. The half-giant bent his head so low as he could when passing through a curtain of ivy. They now entered a wide, hidden opening in the cliff face.

After sailing through a dark tunnel, they reached an underground harbour which had to be somewhere under Hogwarts. The students could soon leave the boats behind and put their feet on firm ground again.

" _Is anyone missing a toad?"_ asked Hagrid after checking the boats and was now holding up a toad.

" _Trevor!"_ cried Neville and leapt forwards to take his toad.

" _It seems Mr Trevor has missed Neville,"_ said Luna happily.

" _Maybe, but how did the toad get from the train and into one of the boats without anyone noticing it was there?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Magic of course,"_ answered Luna. _"It could be the reason why the Shimmering Star Faeries came to us. To help Mr Trevor so he could return to Neville."_

There were several logical flaws with this answer, but Hermione realised it was pointless to discuss this at the moment. Neville had got his toad back, and the girls had a different, more crucial problem to worry about. The Sorting!

" _Follow me,"_ said Hagrid. He clambered up a passageway in the mountainside while keeping the lantern as high as he could. In the end, they came out on a smooth, moist grass right under the castle's shadow. The students followed Hagrid up a wide staircase of stone and gathered around an enormous door in massive oak. The half-giant made sure everyone was there before he raised his giant fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

After the third knock had landed, the door opened. Inside stood a tall, black-haired witch in an emerald-green robe and looked back at the students with a stern face.

" _The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall,"_ said Hagrid.

" _Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take them now,"_ answered McGonagall. She opened the door wide and said, _"Follow me, children."_ She turned around and walked into the castle.

Apart from Hagrid, they all followed this woman obediently. They entered an entrance hall which was big enough to fit a house inside with room to spare. Hermione looked around and saw burning torches which lit the walls, but the ceiling was still too high to be seen. They went up a beautiful marble staircase which led them to the upper floors.

Behind some massive double doors of wood to their right, they could hear the noise of hundreds of voices. Hermione assumed it was the other students from the train who had arrived at the school in another way. McGonagall led the group across the flagged stone floor and into a smaller chamber of the hall. It was quite cramped inside the chamber with all the students. Some of them became nervous about what would come next, including Hermione.

" _Welcome to Hogwarts,"_ said Professor McGonagall. _"The start-of-term banquet will soon begin inside the Great Hall. However, before you take your seats, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is an important ceremony at Hogwarts and is something every first-year must go through. The house you're sorted into will become your family here at the school. You will have classes with them, sleep in your house dormitory and share your free time with them in your house common room."_

The last McGonagall said was something Hermione wasn't sure she would do so much. Especially if she ended up in a different house than Luna.

" _The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin,"_ continued McGonagall. _"Each of them has given us great Witches and Wizards who have brought honour to our school through the history."_ When she said this, McGonagall looked thoroughly on every one of them, especially Hermione and Luna.

Hermione noticed this and was sure Luna also had. They had barely arrived within Hogwarts walls, and the stares had already begun. So in what group did McGonagall belong? The ones who wished to help, or those who wanted to throw them out? Luna could probably decide this better than Hermione, but she couldn't ask at the moment.

" _Under your time here at Hogwarts, your triumphs will reward you with house points. Rule-breaking and other unworthy behaviours will make you lose house points,"_ said McGonagall. _"At the end of the year, the house with most points will be awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I'm hoping each and every one of you will do your best for the house which becomes yours."_ She looked over the students again, but this time she didn't lock her eyes on anyone in particular. _"The Sorting Ceremony will soon begin in front of the other students and teachers. I suggest you spend the remaining time to prepare yourself in peace and quiet."_ With those words, Professor McGonagall left the chamber.

Hardly a minute after McGonagall was gone, the students started to talk among themselves. The Sorting was, of course, the main topic, while a few didn't seem to care too much about it. Hermione wasn't among the latter.

During the time Mrs Ansley had been teaching Hermione and Luna, the brunette had always been prepared for everything. It didn't matter if it was only an ordinary school-day or a test, Hermione always treated it as an exam. So when Hermione heard about the Sorting Ceremony, she searched for any information she could find. Books and other documents had been read so many times that it became boring even after Hermione's standards. Despite all this research, she couldn't find anything about the Sorting. Asking the parents of Luna and Ginny hadn't helped either since none of them could or wished to give an answer.

This was why Hermione now listened to the other students after clues. Not that it helped a lot since their knowledge wasn't much better than her own. It was an annoying situation for someone like Hermione, but she couldn't do anything about it.

Professor McGonagall came back, and after a final look at the students, she said, _"The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin. Please form two lines, side by side of each other and then follow me."_

When McGonagall walked out of the small chamber, the students did as they had been told and formed two lines behind the professor. Hermione slipped in behind Ron and got Luna into the line next to Hermione. McGonagall was halfway to the large double doors before she stopped and turned. The professor saw that everyone had now found a place in one of the lines. _"Good,"_ she said and continued towards the doors. Only a few feet away, McGonagall waved slightly with one of her hands, and both doors opened inward. They were now entering the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

The sight meeting them inside the hall was strange, beautiful and scary at the same time. On each side of the first-years, there were two long tables full of older students who stared at the newcomers. At Hermione's right hand, near the wall, was the Gryffindor table. On the table next to them sat the students from Ravenclaw. On Hermione's left side was the Hufflepuff house. And finally, on the inside of them again, Slytherin. Ginny had told Hermione about the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin, so the placement of the houses hadn't come as a surprise.

Chandeliers mounted on the walls had thick candles which lit up much of the Great Hall. Above the tables, thousands of smaller candles floated around. The most amazing thing, however, was when you looked up at the ceiling and could see the starry sky which sparkled towards you. After having read 'Hogwarts: A history' more times than she could remember, Hermione knew the roof was bewitched to look like the outside sky.

When they reached the other end of the hall, McGonagall stopped in front of a fifth table. It stood on a raised platform with its broadside towards the other tables. Behind this sat the teachers and looked expectantly at the new students. Most of them were unknown to Hermione, except Dumbledore and...Charlie Weasley?

" _What's your brother doing up there,"_ whispered Hermione to Ron.

" _The old teacher for Magical Creatures quit the job this summer. Dumbledore had trouble finding a replacement on such short notice, so he asked Charlie,"_ whispered Ron back.

" _Why didn't Ginny tell me about it?"_ whispered Hermione again.

" _Charlie only accepted for two weeks ago, but he needed approval from the Ministry of Magic. Mum said we shouldn't tell anyone until we were sure Charlie would get the job,"_ answered Ron.

While Hermione was talking with Ron, McGonagall had placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard hat. It had seen better days as it was patched, frayed and could need a wash or two. McGonagall didn't say a word, but stepped back and stared at the hat. Hermione's eyes were glued to the hat too, afraid she would miss something important. In the corner of her eye, she saw that the older students also were staring at the hat.

The next seconds felt like years, but then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened like a mouth, and before Hermione could gasp, the hat began to sing.

 _"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

 _But don't judge on what you see,_

 _I'll eat myself if you can find_

 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,_

 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_

 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_

 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_

 _So try me on and I will tell you_

 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_

 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_

 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

 _Where they are just and loyal,_

 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

 _if you've a ready mind,_

 _Where those of wit and learning,_

 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_

 _You'll make your real friends,_

 _Those cunning folks use any means_

 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

 _And don't get in a flap!_

 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

Except for the first-years, everyone in the hall erupted into applause when the hat was finished. It bowed to each of the tables before it became quiet again.

Hermione let out a silent sigh. She had hoped the Sorting was something which could be easily manipulated. But if the hat were true to its word, it would be quite tricky to do it. Even if Hermione found a way, would it be enough to have an influence on the blonde girl's choice?

" _You can't carry the wind, so let the wind carry you,"_ whispered Luna into Hermione's ear.

" _Huh?"_ said Hermione and looked back at Luna. What did she mean by that? Before Hermione could ask, McGonagall came forward with a long parchment scroll and began talking.

" _When I call your name, come forward, put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,"_ said McGonagall. _"Abbott, Hannah!"_

A girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of the line and went to the stool. She sat down and put on the hat which was too wide for her as it fell down in front of her eyes. A moment of silence followed before...

" _HUFFLEPUFF!"_ shouted the hat.

The nearest table to the left cheered and clapped. Hermione's eyes followed Hannah when she sat down with the Hufflepuffs. There had been no indications that Hannah had done anything, so how did she communicate with the Sorting Hat? Unless Hermione understood the song wrong, the hat used a form of Legilimency to read your mind.

" _Bones, Susan!"_

Hadn't Pandora said that your wishes would be taken into consideration? But as far as Hermione had seen, Hannah had only put on the hat and nothing else. Maybe the girl didn't know this and just had accepted the Sorting Hat's decision?

" _HUFFLEPUFF!"_ shouted the hat again.

Hermione looked back towards the stool and wondered if she could get closer to see better. Instead, she watched the three next students more closely. Terry Boot went to Ravenclaw. The same did Mandy Brocklehurst, while Lavender Brown became the first Gryffindor. When Millicent Bulstrode took a seat on the stool, Hermione had still not seen anything unusual. They sat down, placed the hat on their head, and that was all they did. Nothing at all that they tried to affect their choice of house. Hermione stared at the floor and begun searching her memory for anything which could explain this.

" _SLYTHERIN!"_ shouted the hat in the background.

The Sorting Hat used Legilimency to read your mind, that was clear. But how did it speak to you and you with the hat? It was difficult to learn Legilimency, so it's not something most, if any, children at Hermione's age could do. Hermione only knew this because of Luna.

" _Carrow, Flora!"_

One late evening had Hermione been reading about rare types of magic. She found some pages about Legilimency in a book, but she had only skim through them. Hermione wanted to learn as much as she could but understood that Legilimency had to wait. It wasn't until Hermione read the last page that she stopped.

" _SLYTHERIN!"_

The last page had a few paragraphs about a very seldom form of Legilimency. Most people weren't even sure if it should be called Legilimency. Instead of reading minds, the person with this ability could only read emotions. In itself, this would have been seen as a downgrade from the real Legilimency. But the big difference was that you couldn't be taught this. You had to be born with it!

" _Carrow, Hestia!"_

And who had a fantastic skill in understanding people so well? Yes, it was Luna. So, could Luna be a natural born Legilimens? Hermione couldn't prove if Luna had this ability or not, so she had set the thought of it aside. This information wouldn't help with the Sorting Hat, but it was how Hermione knew so much about Legilimency.

" _SLYTHERIN!"_

Hermione watched the sorting again and noticed something new. Most only sat a couple of seconds while others could sit for several minutes with the hat on. Almost as if they talked with the...of course! Why hadn't Hermione thought of this before? Where Hermione had been looking for an advanced answer, it was annoyingly simple. You didn't have to talk directly to the Sorting Hat, you only need to think the words inside your head. 'Great, Hermione,' she thought for herself. 'You're such an idiot sometimes.'

" _Corner, Michael!"_

The biggest issue Hermione had with Legilimency was having someone messing around in her head. It also was a little late to learn Occlumency, so Hermione couldn't prevent it from happening either. Could it be the reason why the sorting wasn't mentioned anywhere?

" _RAVENCLAW!"_

Luna had said, 'You can't carry the wind, so let the wind carry you.' Did the blonde girl know something? Had Pandora told her daughter what would happen? Or was this Luna's own thoughts about all this?

" _Cornfoot, Stephen!"_

If these words were Luna's own thoughts, it meant that Hermione should relax and not worry what could happen. Easy for Luna to say that. The blonde girl would have been carefree during a thunderstorm, on an open field while sitting under the only tree there.

" _RAVENCLAW!"_

But if there was a person Hermione trusted in this world, it was Luna. So maybe Hermione should follow the girl's advice this time too?

" _Crabbe, Vincent!"_

Hermione recognised the boy who now walked up to the hat. It was he who had blocked Hermione's way on the train. One of Malfoy's goons. Vincent seemed confident in himself when he put on the Sorting Hat. And just a second later...

" _SLYTHERIN!"_

The following Tracey Davis also went to Slytherin, but then it was Harry's cousin's turn.

" _Dursley, Dudley!"_

Dudley hesitated, but after a small push from Harry, Dudley slowly moved forward. Hermione didn't know the boy so well, but she felt sorry for him. Dudley sat on the stool for several minutes which must have been like years for the boy. Finally, the Sorting Hat shouted...

" _GRYFFINDOR!"_

'Gryffindor, what an odd place to put Dudley,' thought Hermione. If she remembered correctly, courage was the most important trait for someone from Gryffindor. Hermione looked at Harry and saw that he appeared more unhappy than ever before. Did Harry know what house he would get? Had he hoped Dudley would end up somewhere else than in Gryffindor? It wasn't Hermione's problem, but still...

After Dudley, there were five students. Two for both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, and one Ravenclaw. The sorting was likely exciting for the other students and the teachers, but for those still standing on the floor, it had become tiresome. Hermione wondered how long it would take to finish the...

" _Granger, Hermione Jean!"_

Hermione had been so lost in her own mind that she didn't notice her name was called. McGonagall had to say Hermione's name a second time before the girl reacted. She took a deep breath and walked up to the stool. Hermione stared at the hat for a moment. There was no way back now. She put the Sorting Hat gently on her head and sat down on the stool. The last Hermione saw before the hat slid down in front of her eyes, was Luna.

" _Another one?"_ said a small voice in her ear. _"Hm..."_

The Sorting Hat spoke so low that only she could hear it, but would Hermione be able to talk back by thinking?

" _Yes, you can,"_ said the hat.

'What did you mean with another one?' asked Hermione in her thoughts. No answer came.

Instead, the Sorting Hat said, _"You're a difficult one. Lots of talent, a very good head and enough courage to match it. You would find your equals in Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, or perhaps Hufflepuff?"_

'But not Slytherin?' thought Hermione.

" _You have what it takes to become a good Slytherin, but I don't think you want to go there,"_ answered the hat.

The Sorting Hat was right about that, but would Hermione had taken the chance if Luna had been in Slytherin?

" _So where should we put you?"_ said the hat.

Hermione had no answer to this. How much time had she spent trying to find a method to manipulate the sorting? It didn't matter now since it all felt wasted. So much time reading books and manuscripts, only to forget the most important thing. How could Hermione expect to manipulate anything at all when she still doesn't know which house Luna wanted? The blonde girl's parents had been in Ravenclaw, but although it often happened, it didn't mean Luna would become a Ravenclaw too. Hermione was now close to tearing off the hat, walk down to Luna and shaking the answer out of the girl.

" _So, you're anxious about your friend?"_ whispered the hat. _"You're not the only one, but strong friendship will survive even if you're in different houses. They always do."_

'You're the Sorting Hat. Can't you put both of us in the same house?' thought Hermione.

" _I'm afraid that's not how it works. I was created to follow specific rules, and they're the ones who guide my choices,"_ said the hat. It went silent for several seconds before it said, _"I can sense how strongly you wish to be in the same house as your friend. What about your own wish? Where do you truly want to be?"_

Her own wish? Had Hermione ever taken a choice in life without Luna in her thoughts? Should Hermione for the first time forget about the blonde girl and go her own way for once? Just abandon her? Could Hermione even do that? Panic started to spread in her and Hermione seized the edge of the seat with her hands. The stool began to shake, and for a moment, she was afraid it would fall over. Then a low rumbling could be heard inside the hall. Several of the candlesticks on the tables moved around. A few thick candles from the walls fell on the floor. Everything lasted only for 4-5 seconds, but when it stopped, the Great Hall was completely quiet. Everyone stared confused around themselves, and some students were getting up.

" _Everyone, stay where you are. There isn't any danger,"_ said Dumbledore from the teacher's table. _"It only was a small earthquake. They are rare up here, but we get them sometimes."_

This seemed to calm the students, and their eyes were again directed towards Hermione. She had also calmed down and wondered now what to tell the Sorting Hat. There was only one right answer.

Shortly after, the hat shouted out, _"RAVENCLAW!"_

Hermione put the hat down on the stool and walked towards the Ravenclaw table. She didn't dare to look at Luna. All the Ravenclaws cheered and welcomed Hermione, but for her it was still too early to celebrate. Hermione found a free seat next to an Asian girl.

" _Hello, Hermione. I'm Cho, Cho Chang,"_ said the girl and reached out her hand. _"Welcome to Ravenclaw."_

" _Thanks,"_ replied Hermione meekly and shook hands with Cho.

" _You don't seem happy to be here exactly,"_ said a girl with curly, reddish-blonde hair sitting next to Cho.

" _Marietta!"_ said Cho. _"Give her some time. If you had been sitting there for as long as Hermione did, you would also have been tired."_

" _Sorry,"_ said Marietta. _"My mother once told me something about Hatstalls. Those who experience it are more likely to end up in the wrong house. I thought you were one of them."_

" _Hatstall? Are you sure about that?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Yes,"_ answered Cho. She held up an old pocket watch. _"I've taken the time on everyone tonight. You sat there for five minutes and seven seconds."_

" _You do that every year?"_ asked Hermione.

" _No. I'm a second-year student, so this is only my second sorting,"_ said Cho.

" _Oh,"_ said Hermione. She stared down at the table, afraid to meet the eyes of Luna who were standing a few feet away. _"The Sorting Hat gave me a choice. I chose Ravenclaw, but I'm not sure if this is where I should be."_

" _Why not,"_ asked Cho.

Hermione didn't answer. What should she have told them? If they knew how much Hermione wanted to stay with Luna, the others would think they were more than friends. Which would have been ridiculous since that's all they were, just good friends. Right?

While Hermione waited to hear Luna's name be called, two more first-years became Ravenclaws. Anthony Goldstein and Sue Lie. The students at the Ravenclaw table welcomed them in the same way as with Hermione, but unlike her, they seemed more happy to be here.

" _Longbottom, Neville!"_ shouted McGonagall.

For the first time since she had been sorted, Hermione looked towards the stool again. Neville was the boy she and Luna had helped to search for his toad. Neville sat a long time with the hat, but then it shouted...

" _GRYFFINDOR!"_

Neville jumped off the stool and ran to the Gryffindor table, but then discovered that the hat was still on his head. While the laughter roared through the Great Hall, Neville jogged back and ashamed giving the Sorting Hat back to McGonagall.

" _He almost became our second Hatstall tonight,"_ said Cho while watching her pocket watch.

" _Lovegood, Luna!"_

When Hermione heard this name, she stared down at the table again and kept her breath. All she could do now was to wait and hope the Sorting Hat would shout...

" _RAVENCLAW!"_

Hermione's cry of joy was so loud that no-one else at the Ravenclaw table could be heard. She jumped down to the floor, ran towards Luna and gave the blonde an almost bone-crushing hug.

" _Hermione?"_ said Luna's voice muffled.

" _Yes?"_ replied Hermione.

" _I like you a lot too, but I also like to breathe,"_ said Luna.

Hermione let go of the blonde girl and embarrassed, she muttered an apology.

" _No harm done,"_ said Luna and sat down at the table.

The other Ravenclaws looked at Hermione with curiosity, but she didn't care. She and Luna were in the same house, nothing else mattered. Hermione sat down between Luna and Cho while Marietta seemed confused.

" _I'm guessing you two are good friends?"_ asked Cho.

" _Yes. We have known each other since we were about two-years-old,"_ answered Luna before Hermione could say anything. She was still worried that some would misunderstand Luna and Hermione's friendship, but why was this a problem for her? But then she got something else to think about when McGonagall called out a particular name.

" _Malfoy, Draco!"_

The blond boy walked proudly forward, almost as if he owned the Great Hall. Draco had barely sat down with the hat on his head before it shouted...

" _SLYTHERIN!"_

" _Of course he became a Slytherin. Even I could have told them that,"_ murmured Marietta.

" _You know the Malfoy family?"_ asked Hermione. This was her chance to learn more about the famous families.

" _Not personally, but my mother, who works at the Ministry, has told me about the Malfoys. They are an old and powerful family. They are wealthy and has a strong influence on what's happening in the Ministry of Magic,"_ said Marietta. _"Mum said that Draco's father loves to interfere in the Ministry affairs. I bet he does it to get benefits for himself and his family."_

" _Then I understand where Draco got his attitude from,"_ said Hermione. _"We met him on the train."_ She wanted to hear more about this family, but the Sorting Hat shouted once again Ravenclaw. It was a girl by the name Padma Patil. When she sat down at the table, Hermione stared at the girl.

" _What? Do I have something on my face?"_ asked Padma.

" _Huh, eh, no,"_ replied Hermione.

Padma shrugged and began talking with others around the table.

Luna leaned over to Hermione and whispered, _"You noticed it too?"_

" _Yes,"_ whispered Hermione back. _"The same feeling like when we saw Ginny the first time."_

" _Do you think she is...?"_ started Luna to say, but was interrupted by Hermione.

" _I don't know. We never found out if our feeling of knowing Ginny in the store had something to do with her 'other thing',"_ whispered Hermione.

" _I still think we should have asked her about it,"_ said Luna.

" _Perhaps you're right, but I didn't want to scare Ginny in the beginning. Besides, what would we have told her? None of us knows why we felt like this?"_ said Hermione. _"Not much we can't do with it at the moment."_

" _Potter, Harry!"_

Harry's name had barely been called out before the whole hall became quiet. He went up to the stool in the same way Draco had done, but Harry seemed less comfortable with the attention he got.

" _Cho, why did everyone become so quiet because of Harry?"_ whispered Hermione.

" _You don't know about the Potter family either?"_ whispered Marietta.

" _We shared a compartment on the train, but he didn't tell anything about himself,"_ replied Hermione.

" _You shared a compartment with Harry Potter?"_ said Marietta shocked. _"With him?"_ she repeated and pointed to Harry.

" _Sh, Marietta. Not everyone who begins at Hogwarts knows everything,"_ said Cho. She turned towards Hermione and Luna. _"Have you two heard about the Wizarding War?"_

Both Hermione and Luna nodded.

" _Good,"_ said Cho. _"The Potter family were one of You-Know-Who's most prominent opponents during the war. Usually, anyone who stood in You-Know-Who's way was killed without mercy. But the Potter family had impressed You-Know-Who so much that he gave them a choice."_

" _Like, join me or die choice?"_ said Hermione.

" _Maybe not exactly those words, but yes,"_ replied Cho. _"It's been said that You-Know-Who gave the Potters three chances to join his side, but they refused each time. So one night had You-Know-Who manage to locate the Potters hiding place and went there alone."_

" _Like any evil bastard, I'm sure he wanted the pleasure of killing them himself,"_ muttered Marietta.

" _True, but things didn't go the way he planned,"_ said Cho. _"Harry's father gave You-Know-Who enough resistance so Harry's mother could disapparate with her son."_

" _What about Harry's father? Did he manage to get away?"_ asked Hermione.

Cho shook her head. _"He was killed that night."_

" _Going alone was You-Know-Who's biggest mistake,"_ said Marietta. _"Harry's mother became so furious that she began a relentless hunt for You-Know-Who and his followers. Lily Potter became You-Know-Who's worst nightmare. Some even say it was she who killed You-Know-Who and ended the war."_

" _Some say? So it wasn't confirmed that she did it?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Not really,"_ said Marietta. _"But my mother showed me the Daily Prophet from the day after You-Know-Who had vanished. '_ _ **He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is dead. The war is finally over?'**_ _was the headline. I still remember it."_

" _What you're saying is that no one knows who killed You-Know-Who, or even if he is dead?"_ asked Hermione. She was a bit surprised at her own interest in this.

" _Well..."_ said Marietta unsure. _"The war ended, so why should we care about who killed You-Know-Who? The important thing is that he's dead."_

" _But..."_ said Hermione, but stopped when she understood it was pointless to ask Marietta further.

" _GRYFFINDOR!"_ shouted the Sorting Hat at last.

" _Wow, six minutes and 32 seconds. Harry beat you, Hermione,"_ said Cho.

'Like I care,' thought Hermione. She looked after Harry as he shuffled across the floor and sat down for himself at the Gryffindor table. _"So Harry's mother is a kind of war hero, but it doesn't explain why people became silent when they heard Harry's name? Wouldn't it make him popular instead?"_

" _The war changed his mother forever,"_ said Marietta. _"Lily Potter still serves as an Auror in the Ministry of Magic. Because of her red hair and bad temper, she got the nickname the Red Dragon. They say that Alastor Moody filled half of the cells in Azkaban after the war while Lily Potter filled the other half."_

" _Okay, I understand why Lily Potter has become who she is, but what about Harry?"_ asked Hermione again.

" _They say he takes after his mother,"_ replied Marietta.

" _They say? Again, nothing which is confirmed, but only a rumour?"_ said Hermione. She started to dislike Marietta. The girl seemed to take rumours as real facts without checking them out first. That kind of attitude was dangerous to the girl herself, but also to others. Like Hermione and Luna. It made Hermione wonder why Marietta was in Ravenclaw to begin with.

" _You sat with him on the train. Did he seem a bit...special?"_ asked Cho.

" _No!"_ replied Hermione. She had no interest in giving more fuel to Marietta's rumour mill. _"He was a bit grumpy, but that's nothing special in itself."_

" _Then the rumours are true,"_ said Marietta. _"My mother told me Lily Potter never smiles. Walking past her is like stepping into an ice cold shower."_ She turned to other students at the table and shared her 'new' information with them.

Hermione just rolled her eyes. _"Cho, I've witnessed a couple of heated 'discussions' between Harry and Draco. Do you know anything which can explain why?"_

" _Hm, maybe,"_ answered Cho. She looked at Marietta who was still talking to the others. _"I don't believe in rumours so much, but it's all I have on this. I've heard some people say that the Malfoys were followers of You-Know-Who in the war. But when they were caught, they claimed to have been under the Imperius Curse."_

" _Wait, a boy on the train told me the same,"_ said Hermione. _"That the Malfoys had been on You-Know-Who side. But Draco said that any accusations against his family were a lie."_

" _Do you believe Draco?"_ asked Cho.

" _I'm not sure,"_ said Hermione. _"I don't see Draco as a trustworthy person, but I can't disprove what he said either. What about Potter?"_

" _The same people who mentioned Malfoys, also said it was Lily Potter who had caught the Malfoys,"_ answered Cho. _"So those two families seem to have a bad history together. It could be why they don't get along?"_

" _I think Cho is right,"_ said Luna. _"My mother told me how the war destroyed old ties between many of the families. Most of them haven't healed today and maybe never will. Mum said a war could have ended on the outside, but on the inside, it would continue for many years."_

" _It's true,"_ said Hermione. _"After the First World War ended in the Muggle world, much of the hatred lived in people's heart and mind afterwards. Almost 21 years later, the Second World War began because of the old hatred from the first war."_

" _Yes, I know about those two wars. My grandparents helped the Muggles in both,"_ said Cho with a smile.

Oliver Rivers were the next first-year who was sorted into Ravenclaw. While the others gave Oliver a proper welcome, Hermione began to think through all the new knowledge she had gained. The reason behind Harry and Draco's hatred for each other had become clearer. Hermione knew she hadn't seen the last of this, but it wasn't a problem to worry about for now. She was more worried about Marietta. The girl knew a lot, but most of her knowledge was based on rumours. Loose rumours could become a major problem for Hermione and Luna during their time at Hogwarts. Both girls had to be very careful about what they said around Marietta.

The sorting was finally almost over. Emma Vane, the last girl, became a Gryffindor. Only two boys were left on the floor. Ron Weasley and Blaise, the dark-skinned boy from Draco's compartment. Ron became as expected a Gryffindor, while Blaise Zabini, which was his full name, a Slytherin. With the last first-year sorted, McGonagall took the stool and the Sorting Hat with her up to the teachers' table. There she sat down next to Dumbledore.

Albus Dumbledore stood up and looked over all the tables. _"Welcome to all of you! Both new and old students, for another year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thanks!"_ He sat down again, while most of the students clapped and cheered.

" _He hasn't changed since the last time we saw him,"_ said Hermione, shaking her head.

" _Would he be Dumbledore if he did?"_ answered Luna with a smile.

Hermione never got a chance to answer as the empty dishes on the table suddenly were filled to the verge with food. There were so many different kinds that she didn't know where to start. Roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops at one side. On the other side, there was boiled potatoes, roast potatoes and a large variety of puddings and vegetables. Hermione filled her plate with a blend of everything and began to eat. While she was chewing on a pork chop, she saw in the corner of her eye that Cho and Marietta didn't eat. Instead, they only stared at Hermione and Luna with bewildered eyes.

" _Something wrong?"_ asked Hermione.

" _You know Dumbledore?"_ asked Cho.

" _Yes,"_ answered Luna. _"My mother was one of Dumbledore's favourite students when she was at Hogwarts. They still visit each other, so Hermione and I have often seen Dumbledore."_

" _It sounds reasonable,"_ answered Cho.

Hermione had the feeling that Cho wasn't convinced by Luna's answer. _"Dumbledore is the strongest wizard alive today, but he's still a person like you and me. Dumbledore has friends like most others and visits them from time to time. Each time he came to Luna's mother, Dumbledore gave us lessons in magic. That's how we know him."_

" _Sorry if it sounds like I doubt your words,"_ said Cho. _"It's so weird hearing Dumbledore, the great wizard, does something as simple as visiting ordinary people like us."_

Luckily, it seemed Cho and Marietta were happy with the answer and started eating. Hermione's appetite, however, was reduced. Cho had been closer to the truth than she knew. Dumbledore doesn't visit ordinary people without a good reason. In all the years Hermione had known Dumbledore, he had never come for a cup of tea or lunch. There was only one reason why he came to visit, which was the girls' wild magic. Was this Luna and Hermione's future also? Alone, meeting people only when you had to, so you weren't a danger to them?

" _Food tastes better with happy thoughts,"_ whispered Luna to Hermione.

Hermione looked at Luna and couldn't help smiling.

" _There it was. Much better,"_ said Luna and continued to eat as if nothing had happened.

" _Thanks,"_ said Hermione. Her appetite returned, and she also continued to eat.

The rest of the meal went without problems. The girls talked together about their backgrounds and what they expected from their years at Hogwarts. Hermione and Luna were careful to not mention too much, just enough to not create any suspicions. After some time, most of the students were satisfied and not hungry anymore. At last, the dessert also disappeared from the table.

" _Now that we all are fed and watered, may I ask for your attention,"_ said Dumbledore when he again stood up. _"I have a few start-of-term notices to share with you. First-years should be aware that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students without permission."_ He glanced towards the Gryffindor table and added, _"Some of our older students should also remember this as well."_

Hermione didn't have to see to know who Dumbledore referred to. The Weasley twins were well known to bend a rule, or two, or three.

With his eyes once again facing the other tables, Dumbledore continued. _"Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to remind you all not to use magic in the corridors between classes. Quidditch trials will take place in the second week of term. If you wish to be playing for your house team, speak with Madam Hooch."_ With his hand, Dumbledore pointed to an elderly witch sitting on his right side. Madam Hooch had short, spiky hair and stared at the students with her yellow eyes which reminded of a hawk.

" _We also have a few changes among our teachers this year,"_ said Dumbledore. _"Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired this summer. Luckily enough, one of our former students has on short notice accepted to take the job for this year. Give a warm welcome to Mr Charles Weasley."_

When Charlie stood up and bowed to all the tables, he received a lot of cheers from the students.

" _Charlie, a teacher?"_ said Cho. _"But he finished Hogwarts only this year?"_

" _Do you have a problem with this?"_ asked Hermione.

" _No! Just surprised. He was very popular among many of the students,"_ answered Cho.

" _Our second new teacher this year is Mrs Andromeda Tonks,"_ said Dumbledore. _"She has accepted the job as our new Magical Theory teacher."_

Again the hall erupted into loud cheers. Hermione got a glimpse of Draco, and he didn't look happy at all.

" _And finally, our third new teacher is Professor Horace Slughorn,"_ said Dumbledore. _"He has come out of retirement and will take on the job as our new Potion teacher. Our former Potions teacher, Professor Snape, will instead take over Defence Against the Dark Arts class."_

This announcement made the Slytherin table cheer fiercely while all the other houses gave it a half-hearted applause.

" _Snape isn't a popular teacher unless you're a Slytherin,"_ whispered Cho. _"Watch out for him."_

Dumbledore continued to talk. _"My last announcement is no less important. The third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bound for all students. Do not enter unless you wish to die a very painful death."_

Most laughed at Dumbledore's last sentence, but not Hermione. She had a strong feeling that Dumbledore was serious despite his choice of words.

" _With that out of the way, and before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!"_ shouted Dumbledore. He waved with his wand, and a long, golden ribbon flew out of the tip. The ribbon rose high over the tables and twisted like a snake into words. _"Everyone chooses their own favourite tune, and then we begin!"_

Soon, the whole hall roared;

' _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

 _Teach us something please,_

 _Whether we be old and bald,_

 _Or young with scabby knees,_

 _Our heads could do with filling,_

 _With some interesting stuff,_

 _For now they're bare and full of air,_

 _Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

 _So teach us things worth knowing,_

 _Bring back what we've forgot,_

 _Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

 _And learn until our brains all rot.'_

The whole song was a big cacophony, so it wasn't a surprise that everyone finished at different times. Only the Weasley twins did still sing at the end. They had, obviously on purpose, chosen a slow funeral march which Dumbledore happily conducted to the last note. When the twins finally finished, it was Dumbledore who applauded the highest of all. _"Music,"_ said Dumbledore with a wide smile. _"A magic beyond what we do here! And now, bedtime. Off with you all!"_

" _First-year Ravenclaws, my name is Robert Hilliard, and I'm a Prefect. Please follow me,"_ said a dark-haired boy. He guided them through the crowd of older students who now spoke together. They followed Robert through several corridors, passed portraits which moved and hanging tapestries. After a while, they reached a spiral staircase and climbed higher and higher. _"The Ravenclaw tower has an excellent view of the school grounds. You can see the lake, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch pitch and the Herbology gardens from there,"_ said Robert as they continued upwards.

At last, they reached the top of the staircase where a solid door of oak stopped any further travel. Robert turned around and said proudly, _"The other houses at Hogwarts hide their entrances, but we Ravenclaws have no need for this. Rowena Ravenclaw valued learning above all else, a tradition that our house still follows today. You may already have noticed this, but the door into our common room doesn't have a door handle or a keyhole. Instead,"_ said Robert and pointed towards an eagle-shaped bronze knocker in the middle of the door, _"we use this to enter. Allow me to demonstrate."_ He lifted the ring on the door knocker and hit once. The sound echoed down the stairs.

Seconds later, the door knocker spoke. _"If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't got me. What am I?"_

" _A secret!"_ replied Robert. With that answer, the door opened itself inwards. Robert walked into the common room with the students following right behind.

The Ravenclaws common room was a wide, circular room with arched windows along the white walls. Hermione looked through one of the windows, and even in the dark, she saw how spectacular the view really was. The high, vaulted ceiling of the room was painted like a starry sky. Blue and bronze coloured silk ribbons hung from the centre of the ceiling and to above the windows. On the floor, a midnight blue carpet with white stars filled the whole room, except for a circle in the middle. There were a large fireplace, several tables and comfortable chairs in the room. But what brought a smile to Hermione's lips was a large number of bookcases along the walls. Most of them had books she still hadn't read yet.

" _Instead of keys or passwords, Ravenclaws use their bright mind to enter our common room,"_ said Robert. _"Knock once with the ring on the door knocker, and you'll receive a question. Answer it, and you can enter. It may be scary at first, but after a while, you will appreciate the challenge it gives you. The question will change every time you knock, which can be a bit frustrating if you forget something after leaving the common room. So always triple check your bags before leaving the tower."_

" _There is more to learn, but it's getting late now,"_ said a girl with long, black hair who also had a Prefect badge. _"The boys will follow Robert, while the girls can come with me."_

The girl led the first-year girls past a statue of Rowena Ravenclaw, made of white marble, and into an alcove in the wall. There they went through a door on the left side and up a narrow spiral staircase. The Prefect stopped outside a door with the number seven on it.

" _My name is Elena Pritchard,"_ said the girl. _"Professor Filius Flitwick, the Head of the Ravenclaws, has made a list of which dormitory will be yours while you're at Hogwarts. Your belongings have already been brought here."_ Elena pulled out a small parchment from her robe and looked over it. _"When I read your name, please step inside the dormitory. Mandy Brocklehurst!"_

A brown-haired girl with a thick braid walked forward and disappeared into the room.

" _Luna Lovegood!"_

When Luna also had gone inside, Hermione began to worry again. She knew there were eight new girls in Ravenclaw this year, and each room only had beds for five people. That's what she remembered from reading 'Hogwarts: A History.' Right now, Hermione regretted she had read that book so much.

" _Marietta Edgecombe!"_

'Oh, great,' thought Hermione. The one person Hermione doesn't wish to share rooms with. Well, it could be worse.

" _Padma Patil!"_

Not sharing with Luna would be much worse. Maybe if Hermione asked Flitwick nicely, she could switch rooms?

" _Hermione Jean Granger!"_

With a sigh of relief, Hermione could relax for the evening. She went inside and was welcomed by a happy Luna. They were in the same house and shared the same room. Things couldn't have gone better. Perhaps their time at Hogwarts wouldn't be as bad as Hermione had feared?

 **XXXXXXX**

At the Headmaster's office, Albus Dumbledore stared out one of the windows towards the Ravenclaw tower. This year's sorting had been troublesome for Dumbledore, but he had hidden it from the other teachers. With a sigh, he turned around and watched the Sorting Hat, lying motionless on the shelf and waiting for its time again. It was one of many heirlooms left behind by the founders of Hogwarts. The magic inside it was too powerful to be manipulated, even for someone like Albus Dumbledore.

" _Albus, what's wrong? You aren't usually sad on the first evening of a new school year,"_ said a woman's voice behind the Headmaster.

" _I'm sorry, Minerva. I'm not sad. More...relieved that the sorting went so well,"_ answered Dumbledore.

McGonagall, who had been going through some papers on the desk, stopped and looked confused at the Headmaster. _"I didn't know there was something that could have gone wrong tonight?"_

" _Do you remember what happened when Miss Granger sat with the Sorting Hat?"_ asked Dumbledore.

" _The earthquake? I found it a bit odd when you mentioned it,"_ answered McGonagall and sat down in a chair. _"I've been thinking about it, but I can't remember Hogwarts has had earthquakes before."_

" _You're right. It wasn't an earthquake tonight or has been in Hogwarts history."_

" _But what was it then?"_ asked McGonagall.

" _Something far more dangerous. The whole reason behind my worries for the evening's sorting,"_ answered Dumbledore. He recognised the look Minerva gave him and knew right away he no longer could keep this for himself. _"How well do you know Hogwarts history? Do you know about the circumstances why the founders build the school where it stands today?"_

" _I know a bit, but most of this knowledge is lost for us,"_ said McGonagall.

" _No, Minerva. It's not lost, only been hidden,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Hidden? From who?"_ asked McGonagall, but she didn't get an answer. _"How can it have anything to do with Miss Granger and the sorting? The girl wasn't even born then."_

" _No, she wasn't,"_ answered Dumbledore. _"But what happened tonight and why Hogwarts was built here is both related to this girl."_

" _Albus, you're scaring me now."_

" _I'm sorry. After the meeting, we should have a cup of tea together and talk. I'll tell you everything then,"_ said Dumbledore. _"But first, would you please ask them to come in?"_

" _Of course,"_ replied McGonagall and got up. Before she walked to the door, she said, _"It might be that I would need something stronger than tea later."_

Dumbledore smiled when McGonagall disappeared out the door. A couple of minutes later she returned with three other teachers. Professor Snape, Professor Sprout and finally Professor Flitwick.

" _I'm sorry for having this meeting so late, but it's unfortunately necessary,"_ said Dumbledore. With his wand, he conjured forward more chairs so the Head of Houses had one each. When they all sat around his desk, Dumbledore began to talk. _"This year's sorting is complete. Each of the houses has received one or more of the students I previously told you about. We must therefore give Sprout and Flitwick a better understanding of the matter."_

This would become a long night for Albus Dumbledore.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ravenclaw Tower, Early in the morning, Monday, 02nd September. 1991.**

Luna sat on the wide stone slate under the window and looked out on the rising sun. The others in the dormitory were still sleeping, but it had been a restless night for Luna. For the last hour, she had been sitting here, while trying to figure out what happened the evening before.

After the sorting, on their way through the school and towards the Ravenclaw tower, the group of first-years had passed by an old, oak door. The others hadn't noticed it or believed it was just one of many like it at Hogwarts. For Luna, it had been different. She had sensed something from behind the door, and it scared her.

" _Luna? Why are you sitting there?"_ said a voice next to the girl.

The blonde girl turned her head around and saw Hermione standing there in her pyjamas, trying to suppress a yawn. _"Good morning. You're up early,"_ said Luna with a faint smile.

" _Yes, I just woke up,"_ answered Hermione and put her hand on the other girl's shoulder. _"Luna, what's wrong?"_

" _Wrong? Why do you think something is wrong?"_

Hermione leaned closer and whispered, _"I don't have your skills in reading people, but even I can see that something is bothering you."_

Luna sighed. She had considered telling Hermione last night, but it had been late and the day had already been demanding enough for the brunette. _"Last night, when we walked here, did you notice anything...special?"_

Surprised by the question, Hermione was thinking for a moment before she answered. _"Nothing I can remember, but I was tired and worried...worried that we wouldn't end up in the same room."_

Seeing how embarrassed the brunette was by saying this, Luna wanted to throw her arms around the girl and comfort her, but she couldn't. Not here where any of the other girls could wake up any minute. Displaying their friendly affection in front of others wasn't a good thing at the school. It would only lead to questions they couldn't answer.

" _So, what did you see?"_ asked Hermione.

" _It wasn't so much what I saw, but what I felt,"_ replied Luna." _We passed a door on our way here. At first, it looked like the others. But for a moment, I sensed something."_

" _What did you sense?"_

Luna took a deep breath and said in a hushed tone. _"Pain. Suffering. Death."_

" _Oh, that must have been terrible,"_ said Hermione and hugged the blonde.

" _Hermione, not here. The others could..."_

" _Wake up? I don't care,"_ replied Hermione.

" _What if they think...you know...that we are more than just friends?"_ For a second considered Luna to push the other girl away, but her arms didn't obey her.

" _Let them think whatever they want. What matter is that they don't find out about the other...'stuff',"_ said Hermione and hugged Luna closer.

Hermione's indifference to the others came as a surprise at Luna. _"Hermione?"_

" _Yes?"_

" _I don't understand. You seem so much more carefree today than yesterday."_

Hermione let go of the blonde girl and stepped back. _"When I woke up this morning, I didn't come over to you right away. I was laying in my bed while thinking about what you said yesterday. You know, about controlling my anger better. I can't guarantee it will always work, but I realised the first step would be to ignore what others say."_ Hermione smiled at the blonde and blushed. _"Perhaps your mother was right."_

" _Right about what?"_ asked Luna.

" _About this...social camouflage idea. Or as someone once said, the best defence is a good offence."_

Luna tilted her head confused. _"I'm not following you now."_

" _Instead of giving them a chance to discover what they shouldn't find, we give them something else to watch,"_ said Hermione.

This was one of the rare moments where Hermione made no sense at all for Luna. Perhaps this was how Hermione sometimes felt with Luna?

" _Okay, let me try to explain it more understandable,"_ said Hermione and lifted up her hands in front of Luna. _"If the real truth is in my right hand, and the fake truth is in my left, what do we do?"_

Luna looked between the two hands a few times, and she then understood what Hermione wanted to say. She grabbed both of Hermione's hands and pushed them apart from each other. _"You can't look in two directions at the same time. We don't want them to look at your right hand, so we create something in your left which will draw all their attention away."_

" _Exactly!"_ said Hermione.

" _But how do we do that? You said it would be too difficult to maintain such a big lie for so long. That's why you didn't wish to follow my mother's advice."_

Hermione dropped her arms again and said, _"I know, but if we are going to survive the next seven years, I don't think we have any other option. Besides, it doesn't have to be a big lie. Just large enough for the others to not look in the wrong direction."_

The two girls could now hear Padma was waking up.

" _We'll talk about this later,"_ whispered Hermione and walked over to her bed and began changing to her school clothes.

Luna looked down at her pyjamas and decided it would be a good idea for her to do the same. About ten minutes later she once again stood on the floor, pulling her robe on.

" _Good morning,"_ said a sleepy Padma when she pulled aside the curtains on her bed. _"I didn't know you were such morning birds?"_

" _Good morning, Padma. We were about to go down for breakfast. Want to join us?"_ asked Luna.

" _Nah, go you two. I will need a few more minutes to wake up properly first,"_ replied Padma with a huge yawn.

" _Okay,"_ said Luna.

" _Weird, I don't remember packing my bag last night,"_ said Hermione when she lifted up her brown shoulder bag.

" _I did it for you this morning shortly after I woke up,"_ said Luna.

" _Oh. You didn't have to, but thanks anyway,"_ said Hermione.

" _I didn't mind. It gave me something else to think about for a moment,"_ answered Luna. She lifted up her own bag from the floor and pulled the shoulder strap over her head. Unlike Hermione's rather ordinary looking bag, Luna's was something totally different. It was yellow as the sun, with flowers of silk stitched on it and the shoulder strap had been replaced with a braided one in several colours.

" _Luna, where did you get that bag?"_ asked Padma.

" _It's a birthday gift from Hermione,"_ replied Luna.

" _Really? It looks great, Luna. A bit unusual, but still great,"_ said Padma.

" _Thanks,"_ answered Luna. She turned around towards Hermione and stretched out her hand. _"Shall we go?"_

Hermione accepted Luna's hand, and the two girls left the dormitory while Padma stared astounded after them. They went down the stairs and into an empty common room.

" _Looks like most are still sleeping, or have gone down to the Great Hall already,"_ said Hermione.

They crossed the floor and reached the door on the other side. Fortunately, the girls didn't have to answer a question on their way out. They had only taken a few steps down the spiral staircase when they heard the door closed itself with a tiny click behind them. When they reached the bottom of the stair, the two girls came into what Robert had called the Transfiguration corridor.

" _Luna?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Yes?"_

" _Would it be too much to ask if you could show me the door?"_

Luna knew her friend would ask about this. _"It's on the way to the Great Hall, so why not."_

" _I can understand if you don't wish to go back there?"_

" _There's no reason for me to avoid it. Unless I begin a habit of making constant detours, I must pass by that door every day anyway,"_ said Luna.

They continued without a word through several corridors, across a roofed stone bridge, down a couple of stairs and more corridors. When they were getting close to the Great Hall, Luna stopped and stared confused at a brick wall in front of her.

" _But? I don't understand? It was here, I'm certain of it,"_ said Luna.

" _Are you sure?"_ asked Hermione.

Luna looked around and pointed further down the corridor. _"That armour over there, it has a special crest on its chest. It's unlike any of the others I have seen standing between the Ravenclaw tower and the Great Hall."_

" _Hm,"_ mumbled Hermione when she looked at the crest. She walked around and checked several of the other armours in the corridor, before she came back to the first one and said," _You're right. I'm not sure why it's there, but it doesn't seem to belong here. While the others have the Hogwarts crest on them, this has a black tree without leaves on a white background. On the left side of the tree, there is a raven and on the right side, an acorn."_

" _An acorn?"_ said Luna. She took out her wand and let her finger glide over its engravings of acorns. _"Didn't Ollivander say the acorn was a symbol for the druids?"_

" _Yes, but why would an armour at Hogwarts have a druid symbol on it? By the time they built the school, the druids were long gone,"_ replied Hermione. The girl walked over to where the door should have been and started studying the wall.

" _You forget how much tradition there is in our world,"_ said Luna.

" _No, I didn't forget that. It doesn't matter what world it is, it still doesn't make any sense,"_ answered Hermione and stepped away from the wall without taking her eyes off it.

" _Do you see something?"_

" _I'm not sure, but it could have been a door here once,"_ said Hermione.

" _How do you know?"_

" _If you look close enough at the mortar between the bricks, some of it has a slightly brighter colour. If I squeeze my eyes together, I can see traces of a door which could have been there in the past."_

Luna squeezed her eyes too and looked at the wall. It didn't take long before she could see what Hermione had seen, the faint outline of a former door in the mortar. _"Have they removed the door while we were sleeping? Because unless I was hallucinating, it was a door there yesterday."_

" _Good morning, girls."_

Hermione and Luna spun around and saw Charlie Weasley standing there with his hands full of books.

Luna smiled at the sight of her favourite Weasley after Ginny. They both shared an interest in magical creatures and thus quickly had become friends. _"Good morning, Charlie."_

" _Charlie, I have a strange question for you,"_ said Hermione.

The older Weasley laughed. _"You haven't even had breakfast on your first day and already are asking questions? But, I guess you wouldn't be Hermione if you didn't. Well, ask away, and I'll try to answer."_

" _Thanks. Do you know if there's ever been a door here?"_ said Hermione and pointed at the wall.

" _A door? Here? Not what I expected you to ask about,"_ said Charlie. After looking around for a minute, he replied, _"It's difficult to say for sure since there are so many of them in the castle, but I do remember this one. In my first year, one of the older students in Gryffindor told me a story. I believe her name was Catherine? I don't remember exactly as she moved to the states the year after and begun at Ilvermorny. But Catherine's uncle was working in one of the departments at the Ministry of Magic, and he had told her a story about the door which once had been here."_

" _That sounds more like the beginning of a ghost story if you ask me?"_ said Hermione.

Charlie laughed again. _"Unlike Ron, I don't take everything I hear for granted. That's a bad habit when you're working with magical creatures. Anyway, to begin with, I also treated it as a ghost story. That was until I told it to my father. To my surprise, he claimed the story could be true. It's been going around in the Ministry of Magic for a long time."_

" _It has?"_ said Luna.

Charlie nodded. _"According to some, it's even older than the Ministry itself."_

" _Could you tell us this story?"_ asked Hermione.

" _I guess there's no harm in that, but not now. You two should get some breakfast before your first class. Trust me, you will need the energy,"_ said Charlie. _"However, if you meet me in the library at six o'clock tonight, I'll tell you everything."_

After Charlie had left, the two girls continued towards the Great Hall. Luna couldn't avoid thinking about the missing door, but maybe the story would explain why. She just had to have some patience. When they entered the hall, Luna smiled at the sight which met them. Her mother had spent a lot of time the last few weeks, telling about her time as a Ravenclaw. One of the things Pandora had said was how disciplined and hard-working her house had been. The evidence for this was now right in front of Luna's eyes. It was still early, but The Ravenclaw table was already full of students, while the others were only half-full.

" _I see Cho,"_ said Luna and set off with Hermione on tow.

" _Good morning,"_ greeted Cho them with a smile. _"You made me a little worried for a moment, but I was right after all."_

" _Why would we make you worried?"_ asked Hermione when she sat down next to the older Ravenclaw.

" _Nothing serious, but I thought I had got the wrong impression of you two,"_ replied Cho.

" _And what kind of impression did you have?"_ asked Hermione.

" _When I was talking with you two during the sorting, you seemed to be a typical Ravenclaw. Someone who was curious and keen to learn more,"_ said Cho.

" _And what made you worried that we were not?"_ asked Hermione.

Before Cho had time to answer, Luna put some slices of bread on Hermione's plate and said, _"Eat first, ask later."_

Several at the table stopped eating and stared at the two girls. Luna ignored them and began making her own sandwiches.

" _Yes, mother,"_ said Hermione with a massive grin on her face. After making one sandwich with yellow cheese and another with ham, Hermione started eating. Halfway through the first one, she must have noticed how stunned several at the table seemed to be. Hermione put the half-eaten sandwich down on the plate again, swallowed and asked, _"Cho, is everything okay?"_

" _Yeah, I...when..."_ said Cho to begin with, but she stopped.

Hermione grinned again. _"Ah, I get it. You see, when I'm reading books or seeking answers to my questions, I sometimes can forget to eat."_

" _Sometimes?"_ interrupted Luna. _"If it weren't for Eleanor and me, you would have starved for a long time ago."_ For the others, it may have seemed like a massive exaggeration, but Luna knew better. How often hadn't she left Hermione alone for a few minutes, just to come back and see the brunette's nose deep inside a book?

" _Who's Eleanor?"_ asked Cho.

" _My real mother,"_ answered Hermione and smiled at Luna. _"But since she couldn't come with me here, has Luna taken it upon herself to be my 'reserve' mother."_

Several at the table laugh at this. _"I think there are many in our house who wouldn't mind having a 'reserve' mother. You're not the only one who forgets to eat when studying,"_ said Cho when she stopped laughing.

" _Don't look at me. I'll have enough with this one,"_ said Luna, nodding towards Hermione. This made the Ravenclaw table laugh again.

" _Well, since I don't wish to upset your...'mother',"_ said Cho with a teasing smile aimed at Luna, _"I will answer your questions. I'm sure you already have noticed that our table is almost full. Except for a few of the first-years, everyone from Ravenclaw is here now. They explained it for me last year in simple words, and those are; You can't sit on your arse and expect good results."_

" _Unless you're Hermione and have a stack of books next to you,"_ interrupted Luna again while she peeled a banana. _"But of course, the stack has to be very tall since she's going through them like cookies. Hm, that's an idea. If I make some food which looks like books, maybe she would eat more?"_

The Ravenclaws laughed even more this time while Hermione just rolled her eyes.

" _Anyway, for those of us who aren't Hermione,"_ continued Cho," _It means that to achieve anything in Ravenclaw, you need to work for your results. If you relax too much, the other students will leave you behind. Spend your time wisely, work hard and don't be late for your meals or classes. For a Ravenclaw, time is precious."_

" _What about those who don't understand this way of thinking?"_ asked Hermione.

" _During the first month, the older students will try to teach the first-years about the necessity of this discipline. Most of them will understand and quickly adapt, while others, not so much,"_ said Cho.

" _So, after the first month you're on your own if you don't follow the Ravenclaw standard?"_ said Hermione.

" _Yes,"_ answered Elena, the Prefect from last night. _"We are willing to help them later, but only if they actually try to improve. The Ravenclaws takes care of their own, but nothing is free. We have our own studies to maintain, so we don't wish to waste our time on someone who's just looking for a free ride."_

" _I understand,"_ said Hermione.

" _What's on your schedule today?"_ wondered Cho in an attempt to change the subject.

Luna pulled the timetable out from her bag and put it on the table. _"A double lesson with Potions first, then one with Transfiguration before lunch. Both with Slytherin. After that, we have a double lesson in Defence Against the Dark Arts, also with Slytherin, before we end the day with Herbology. This time with Hufflepuff."_

" _Being stuck with Slytherin most of the day and a double lesson with Snape? Not what I would call a good first day,"_ said Cho.

" _Is professor Snape so unfriendly to the other houses as they say he is?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Snape is an excellent teacher,"_ said Roger Davies, a third-year they had met the night before. _"But he's extremely strict towards his students. Even professor McGonagall is like a pleasant aunt compared to Snape."_

" _Well, thanks for your assessment, Mr Davies,"_ said McGonagall suddenly behind Roger.

Several at the Ravenclaw table jumped in their seats since they hadn't noticed McGonagall arriving.

" _I'm aware that Professor Snape isn't well liked by everyone. Even so, I must ask you not to speak such about one of the school's teachers,"_ continued McGonagall.

" _Sorry, Professor McGonagall,"_ said Davies.

" _Now, I didn't come here only to scold you,"_ said McGonagall and turned towards Hermione. _"Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood, I would like to have a moment of your time?"_

The two girls looked at each other, but Luna gave Hermione an ensuring smile. They followed the professor out of the hall and into a quiet part of the corridor outside.

" _I'm sorry to interrupt your breakfast, but Dumbledore told me to give you this message as soon as I could."_

" _Why doesn't he give us the message himself?"_ asked Hermione.

McGonagall looked at the brunette with stern eyes. _"It's the first day of the school year, and the Headmaster's duties are many. So he sent me instead."_ She looked around the corridor. When she had confirmed it was empty, she turned back to the girls. _"I'm aware of your 'special' situation, and even though I have some disagreements with Dumbledore around it, I still trust his judgement."_

" _So you don't like our kind of magic?"_ asked Luna.

" _Miss Lovegood, I have no hate for you or your magic,"_ answered McGonagall. _"But as you must know, your magic can be extremely powerful and equally dangerous. I hope you both learn to master this power and get a peaceful and happy life. But at the same time, I need to make sure the school is a safe place for the other students too. Do we understand each other?"_

Hermione and Luna nodded.

" _Good. Now, the message from Dumbledore is that he wishes to meet you both after dinner today. I will come to the Great Hall near the end and show you the way to his office,"_ said McGonagall.

" _Did he say what the reason for this meeting was?"_ asked Hermione.

The professor shook her head. _"He didn't mention why, but I believe we all know the reason."_

Hermione sighed. _"Yes, I guess we do."_

Luna pondered what Dumbledore wished to talk about this early. Pandora had told Luna that they would be given time to familiarise themselves with the school before the training started. Luna didn't like this at all.

" _Thank you, Professor McGonagall, for bringing this message to us,"_ said Hermione.

" _It's part of my job here at Hogwarts,"_ said McGonagall. _"You should head back into the Great Hall and finish your breakfast. There is still some time before your first class."_ With these words, the professor left the girls.

" _Luna, didn't your mother say Dumbledore wished to wait a few weeks before we started any additional training?"_ asked Hermione.

" _She did. Has Dumbledore changed his mind?"_ said Luna.

" _Who knows? I'm sure he will tell us during the meeting, or at least what he wants us to believe is the reason."_

" _You don't think he will tell us the truth?"_

" _No, I don't,"_ replied Hermione. _"Since we found out about Ginny, Dumbledore has become a lot more evasive with his answers."_

Hermione's mistrust in Dumbledore wasn't anything new, but lately, Luna also had begun to share this view. She couldn't put her finger on why, but even being near the old wizard made Luna feel suspicious about everything he said.

" _But there's no reason to think about that now. We should head back into the hall before the others start wondering why we are gone so long,"_ said Hermione.

" _I believe it's too late for that,"_ said Luna.

They went back inside the Great Hall, sat down at their seats again while half of the Ravenclaw table had their eyes locked on them.

" _Have you two already done something wrong?"_ asked Cho carefully.

" _Why would you believe that?"_ replied Hermione.

" _Because being taken aside by the Deputy Headmistress during breakfast on your first day isn't a good sign,"_ said Cho. _"At least not how I see it."_

Neither Hermione nor Luna answered the older Ravenclaw girl. Whatever they said would only throw more fuel on the other's suspicion. At this point, it was better to stay silent. Lucky for the two girls, the remaining students had now begun to enter the Great Hall.

Ron passed by and gave a short nod to the girls before he found a place at the Gryffindor table, next to his brother Percy. Not far behind the Weasley boy came Harry with Dudley on his tail. Harry's cousin seemed less nervous today, but not enough to let go of Harry's back yet.

" _Good morning to everyone else,"_ said Padma when she sat down next to Luna. Right behind came also Marietta and Mandy who found a free place on the other side of the table. While the latecomers started to eat, the discussion around the table turned back to ordinary school stuff. Although still curious, Cho gave Hermione and Luna an overview of where they could find the more important places at Hogwarts.

" _I can give you a tour later if you wish?"_ said Cho.

Before any of them could answer, they heard three quick strokes from a bell inside the hall.

" _That's the signal to tell us it's only fifteen minutes left before next lesson,"_ said Cho and stood up from her seat. _"Electronic clocks don't work at Hogwarts because of the huge amount of magic here. You could use a mechanical clock, like the one I had last night, but few have one. So the school bell gives you a warning at each meal when it's fifteen minutes remaining."_

" _Only at the meals?"_ asked Mandy while she grabbed a couple of sandwiches before the food disappeared.

" _Yes,"_ replied Cho. _"You don't need it between the classes. Unless it's a double lesson, you'll have fifteen minutes to get from one class to the next. It may seem like plenty of time, but trust me, it isn't. If you're going from the Herbology greenhouses and to the other side of the castle, you won't have much time to spare."_

" _And if you were to run into Peeves, you'll have even less time,"_ said Elena with a chuckle.

" _Peeves? Who's that?"_ asked Marietta.

" _He's a notorious and troublesome poltergeist here at Hogwarts,"_ answered Hermione. _"I read about him in 'Hogwarts: A History'. He's been at the school since they built it, more or less."_

" _You're right,"_ said Elena. _"There aren't many who can control him, so every day you don't meet him is a good day."_

Hermione and Luna stood up, picked up their bags and walked out of the hall with the other first-years.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

Ten minutes later, they all sat in one of the dungeons and waited for Professor Slughorn. It was much colder down here than in the rest of the castle. Having all the glasses along the walls with pickled creatures inside didn't make it any warmer, only creepier. Their lifeless eyes stared back at the students, causing several to feel a bit uneasy. Luna was the one who struggled the most.

" _Say the word, and I'll help you get out,"_ whispered Hermione.

Luna meekly nodded while trying to avoid watching the dead animals. Her mother had warned her about this room, but Luna never thought it would be this difficult to be here. It was like sitting in the middle of a cemetery with all the corpses looking at her.

Pandora was perhaps most known for her studies on magical creatures, but she was also well-known within the art of making potions. She had passed this knowledge on to her daughter, and it didn't take long before Luna was almost as good as her mother in brewing potions. But because of Luna's strong empathy for the animals, Pandora had avoided using any ingredients from them in their training. But, Luna doubted the teacher here at Hogwarts would give her the same courtesy. She would have to accept it and find a way to cope with her feelings because of this.

" _Good morning everyone,"_ said professor Slughorn when he calmly entered the room.

" _Good morning, professor,"_ replied the students.

Slughorn sat down at his desk and begun taking the register. Professor Horace Slughorn was an elderly, bald man with an enormous, silvery, walrus-like moustache. He was wearing a long, brown tweed jacket, trousers in the same material and a maroon waistcoat with golden buttons. But because of Slughorn's quite wide waist, the buttons on his waistcoat threatened to burst out at any moment. Overall, Slughorn reminded more of a lavish landowner with an unhealthy love for food than a teacher at Hogwarts.

" _Welcome to your first lesson here at Hogwarts,"_ said Slughorn when he finished calling the names. _"Before we begin, I have a couple of messages to announce first. At eight o'clock tonight, each of the Head of House's wishes to have a gathering with the first-year students. It's nothing formal, so you shouldn't worry too much. Ravenclaw, you'll meet with professor Flitwick in the Charms classroom. Slytherin, professor Snape has asked you to meet him in this room. Now, with that out of the way, let's begin."_

With Dumbledore's meeting after dinner, Charlie in the library at six o'clock and the gathering two hours later, it would once again be late for the two girls. There wouldn't be much time left for them to talk privately. Depending on what Charlie would tell them, Luna wouldn't mind discussing this information with Hermione. And then it was the brunette's idea about making the others look a different way. On top of that, they probably would get home works which had to be done as well. When should they find time for all this?

" _Potions!"_ said Slughorn. _"The art of brewing them isn't too difficult for most to learn. Becoming skilled enough to master the most advanced of recipes, that's a different story. Over the next five years, I'll try my best to teach you everything you're going to need for creating some fantastic potions. At the end of your fifth year, you'll go through the O.W.L exams and prove how far you have come. Only those with the highest of grades will be able to continue their studies in the last two years."_

" _Professor Slughorn, are these exams so difficult as my mother says they are?"_ asked a long-haired blonde girl from Slytherin.

" _I'm afraid they are, Miss Greengrass,"_ answered Slughorn. _"Most students prepare already in their fourth year, while some begin even earlier than that."_

" _I'm sure..."_ whisperedLuna to Hermione, but then the blonde stiffened where she sat. She had looked at the Greengrass girl, and for a short moment, their eyes had met. But it had been enough to release the same feeling Luna had experienced with Ginny and Padma.

" _I don't have to ask if you felt the same as me. Your stunned face says it all,"_ whispered Hermione.

" _It doesn't seem right. They can't all be..."_ said Luna. _"Hermione, what's going on here?"_

" _I don't have the foggiest idea! But we have to find out soon,"_ replied Hermione.

" _But there's still a long way for you all to go before the O.W.L exams,"_ said Slughorn, unaware of the girls' discussion. _"For now I want you to take out your books so we can begin with the first step."_

Luna pulled her book out of the bag while she continued to stare at the Slytherin girl. How many more would they find this way?

" _It's gone again. The feeling, just like with Ginny and Padma,"_ said Hermione. _"It doesn't matter. There's nothing we can do about it right now. We're in the middle of a class, and it should be our focus for the moment."_

Luna grinned. _"The same old Hermione. It's five years until the O.W.L exams. Even for you, it should be plenty of time to prepare."_

" _Not sure what you're talking about,"_ said Hermione while she looked away from the blonde.

" _You're a poor liar. You know that? But also cute when you're blushing,"_ replied Luna with a chuckle.

As expected, Hermione didn't respond to this comment.

For the next two hours, the students learned about the fundamental parts of how to brew potions. How to select the right type of storage, cutting the ingredients without reducing their quality and other techniques. Professor Slughorn was a rather passionate, but pleasant teacher who explained everything thoroughly. Even the Muggle-born in the class understood him.

" _Next time we'll try some simple potions,"_ was the last thing Slughorn said before the students left the dungeons.

Both houses went up the stairs from the dungeons and walked towards their Transfiguration class. The Slytherin stayed a few steps behind the Ravenclaws the whole way. When the two groups reached the classroom, they position themselves on each side of the door. While most of the students started talking among themselves, Luna could see how Hermione and Draco kept staring at each other. This continued until Professor McGonagall opened the door and let the students inside. When the students had found their places, Professor McGonagall started to call their names.

" _Does Draco still bothering you?"_ whispered Luna.

" _Not directly, but he's been staring at me a lot since we came to Potions,"_ whispered Hermione back.

" _Let's hope he won't try something stupid."_

" _I don't think he's trying anything today, but I will keep my eyes open just in case."_

" _Welcome everyone to your first Transfiguration lesson,"_ said McGonagall. _"Transfiguration is a magic which focuses on the alternation of the form or appearance of an object. It's a very systematic, exact magical discipline which require a lot of work from the witch or wizard. This subject demands a clear mind and a steady hand with the wand. Any mistake at all and the Transfiguration will fail."_ McGonagall looked over the students with stern eyes. _"I also must warn you. Transfiguration is the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. I will therefore not tolerate any misbehaviour at all in my class, no matter the reason. Anyone I don't find suited for this subject, either because of their behaviour or lack of skills, will be dismissed and are not allowed to come back! There will be no future warnings!"_

A couple of students swallowed hard and looked scared at the professor.

McGonagall didn't let this affect her and said, _"Now, let us begin."_ She then wrote the principles of Transfiguration on the blackboard. Then she explained each of these principles in high details, but also the dangers of not following them. Professor McGonagall turned out to be a very strict and painstaking teacher, but also fair and helpful.

After the Transfiguration class, most of the students were walking in the direction of the Great Hall. Hermione and Luna also headed that way, but at a much slower pace than the others.

When the last group of students disappeared around the corner, Luna asked, _"Hermione, didn't Dumbledore say he had trained others like us? Could Padma and the Slytherin girl be some of them?"_

" _It's...possible, but I can't say for sure,"_ replied Hermione. _"When he told us about the others, I didn't expect them to begin at Hogwarts the same year as we did."_

" _I believe the full name of the Slytherin girl is Daphne Greengrass. So with her, Padma, Ginny and us...it would in total be five of us then?"_ said Luna.

Hermione groaned and rubbed her forehead.

" _You don't look happy? Wouldn't this be a good thing? Not having to be alone?"_ asked Luna. _"Remember how much easier it became after we met Ginny?_

" _I agree with you on all points, Luna."_

" _But?"_

" _The thing is, it goes against what we have been told by Dumbledore,"_ said Hermione.

" _Yes, but..."_

" _Dumbledore has always said that our...'condition' is rare. Only two or three people in each generation at most. If the other two is like us, then there's something wrong here."_

" _Maybe it's a rare event?"_ said Luna. _"Or maybe 2-3 are more like an average number each generation? Perhaps that's what Dumbledore meant?"_

" _Could be, but unlikely."_

" _Did you know there are fewer new students this year than before?"_ asked Luna.

" _No, I didn't,"_ replied Hermione.

" _Mum told me it's because of the war. Near the end of it didn't most families wish to bring new life into our world. People died almost daily, and each day they wondered if today was when they would lose,"_ said Luna and stopped. _"To give life to a child under such circumstances would have been a cruel and selfish act. So many didn't. That's why there are so few students at Hogwarts these days."_

" _That sounds logical, but what does it have to do with our condition?"_ asked Hermione.

" _I thought if the war could affect the amounts of students at Hogwarts, then maybe something similar could affect the number of us as well?"_ said Luna.

" _Yes, but not even Dumbledore knows why someone becomes like us, or at least that's what he's telling us,"_ said Hermione.

" _HERMIONE! LUNA! WAIT FOR US!"_ a girls voice suddenly shouted.

The two girls turned around and saw Padma jogging towards them with another girl following in her footsteps. The girl looked exactly like Padma, apart from the Gryffindor colours on her robe and tie.

" _Are you going for lunch?"_ asked Padma when she halted next to Hermione and Luna.

Neither of the two other Ravenclaws replied. They just stared at the girl who had come together with Padma.

" _Oh, yeah. This is my twin sister, Parvati. She's in Gryffindor. They had Magical Philosophy before lunch, so I waited for her in the corridor. We like to..."_ Padma stopped talking and watched her roommates for a moment. _"Hermione? Luna? You're staring at my sister in the same way you did to me during the sorting. What's going on?"_ She got no answers, just more silence.

" _Padma, you didn't tell me how...odd your friends was,"_ said Parvati.

" _Sorry, Padma. We were a bit shocked over how much your sister looks like you. I can't see any difference between you,"_ said Luna hastily.

" _Oh, that's fine,"_ answered Padma and looked at her sister. _"Except for our parents, there aren't many who can tell us apart. So, were you going to lunch?"_

" _Yes, but we are waiting for someone,"_ said Hermione.

" _Okay, I'll see you at the table then,"_ said Padma and left with her sister.

" _We're not waiting for anyone, are we?"_ whispered Luna.

" _I'm sorry that I had to lie to her, but something is certainly not right here,"_ said Hermione when the two Patil sisters were out of earshot. _"That's the fourth one we have had these feelings for."_

" _Do you still think they aren't like us?"_

" _I want to believe they are, but at the same time I don't,"_ said Hermione. _"If they are, then it's clear Dumbledore either have been lying to us or are hiding the truth from us. And if it's the truth, how are we going to be able to trust him?"_

" _I'm sure he has his reasons,"_ said Luna.

" _They would need to be amazing for me to accept them,"_ said Hermione grumpy.

" _Accept what?"_ said a boy behind the girls.

When the two girls look behind them, they saw Ron standing there.

" _Ron? We didn't hear you coming,"_ said Hermione.

" _I wasn't sneaking up on you if that's what you think,"_ said Ron.

" _Never said you did either, but what are you doing here? I thought you already would be inside the Great Hall by now. It's not normal for you to stay away from a meal."_

" _And who told you I didn't?"_ asked Ron.

" _Your sister, Ginny,"_ replied Luna with a smile.

Before Ron got the chance to protest, Harry and Dudley also came into the corridor. Harry gave the girls a short nod and continued towards the Great Hall.

" _How was your first lessons today?"_ asked Ron.

" _Not bad. Professor Slughorn is a good teacher and very nice, but it will take me some time getting used to the dungeons,"_ answered Luna.

" _Professor McGonagall is also good, but she's a lot stricter than Slughorn,"_ said Hermione.

" _They can't be much worse than Snape. I don't know what his problem is with Gryffindor, but he seems to truly hate our house. Well, except Harry,"_ said Ron.

" _What do you mean by that?"_ asked Hermione.

" _When anyone else in our house got something wrong, Snape nearly chewed off our heads. But when Harry did the same, Snape just shrugged on his shoulders,"_ said Ron.

" _Maybe he is afraid of Harry's mother?"_ said Hermione.

" _Not a chance!"_ said Ron. " _The first time I saw Harry's mother, I thought she would be the scariest person I ever would see in my life. But I'm not so sure any longer after seeing Snape. He is just as scary but in a different way."_

" _We'll find out after lunch since we have a double lesson in Defence Against the Dark Arts then,"_ said Hermione. " _But, Ron. This doesn't explain why you're late for lunch?"_

" _Hey, you're not my mother,"_ said Ron.

" _No, but I promised Ginny to keep an eye on you,"_ replied Hermione. _"So if you're in some kind of trouble, you better tell me now, or I'll send an owl to her."_

" _You wouldn't do that, would you?"_ said Ron unsure.

" _Try me,"_ said Hermione as she crossed her arms.

Ron seemed reluctant to answer, but then he sighed and said, _"There's no point in hiding it as I'm sure you'll find out anyway. The reason for me being late is that we had to convince Dudley to calm down. As I said, Snape was ruthless to anyone who answered wrong, and he truly stomped on Dudley. Bloody hell, he only found out about his magic for a couple of months ago. Give him a break already."_

" _So Dudley became upset because of Snape?"_ asked Luna.

" _Yeah, if it hadn't been for Harry and me, Dudley would have been halfway to London by now,"_ said Ron.

" _He wanted to quit the school?"_ asked Hermione.

Ron nodded. _"It wasn't until Harry said he would fix this that Dudley calmed down."_

" _Fix this? How?"_ asked Luna.

" _Not a clue,"_ replied Ron with a shrug. _"I don't know Harry well enough yet to give you an answer on that, but I'm sure Dudley understood what Harry meant."_

" _Well enough yet? I thought your job of keeping Harry and Dudley with company ended when we walked off the train?"_ said Hermione.

" _It did, but...you know..."_ said Ron.

" _Know what?"_ asked Hermione. She was clearly annoyed now.

" _Great, and I thought my mother was bad,"_ answered Ron. _"Fine, I'll tell you, but only so you'll stop nagging me. After Harry had been sorted into Gryffindor, he sat alone at the table all evening without a word. And when we went up to the tower and into the dormitory, he still hadn't said anything at all. When I woke up this morning, he already had left. I walked down to the common room and found him sitting in front of the fireplace. I just couldn't help but to feel sorry for him, so I sat down with him and started to talk. He said nothing in the beginning, but soon he began to give short answers. By the time the others came down to the common room, we were talking about the school and some other general stuff. He's not a bad person, Hermione. So many treat him like he's the next You-Know-Who because of his mother."_

" _It's not that I believe he's a terrible person, but I wouldn't say he's innocent either,"_ said Hermione. _"Not after what happened..."_

" _If you are thinking about Harry's arguments with Draco Malfoy, you should know it's Draco who always begins them,"_ interrupted Ron. _"Harry has no interest in the fighting between their families. But Malfoy doesn't seem to share this view and use every chance he gets to bother Harry about it."_

With a sigh, Hermione stared at the floor. _"I could say that Harry needs to learn how to control his temper, but...I'm not exactly the one who should talk so loudly about this. Not after what I did in the past."_

" _Rubbish! What happened last summer wasn't your fault. It was Fred and George's stupid prank which put Luna in danger and...and..."_ Ron stopped while he was trying to find the right words. _"What I'm trying to say is that no one in my family blames you for what you did. Even mum agrees that Fred and George crossed the line. She was furious at them for many weeks afterwards. Not as mad as you were, but more than I have ever seen mum before."_

" _I know. Ginny told us about it,"_ replied Hermione, clearly uncomfortable where she stood.

" _You still haven't forgiven them?"_ asked Ron.

Hermione shook her head. _"It's been on my mind for some time now, but I haven't been able to convince myself to do so yet."_

" _Well, it's your choice,"_ said Ron as his stomach grumbled. _"Maybe I should go now before the food is gone."_

" _I agree,"_ said Hermione with a teasing smile. _"Otherwise, they'll say I'm starving you as revenge for Fred and George."_

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

A half-hour later, both Ravenclaw and Slytherin sat in the Defence Against the Dark Arts class when Snape came marching in from the back room. He stopped next to his desk and stared at the students. Then he sat down and started to take the register. His presence made the classroom a lot colder and scarier than what the dungeon had been. Snape was a thin man with sallow skin, a hooked nose and intense, dark eyes which threatened to look inside your head. His long, greasy black hair and equally black robe made Snape look more like a vampire than a teacher.

When he was done with the register, Snape placed himself in front of his desk and scowled at the students. Then, with a slow and cold voice, he said, _"Defence Against the Dark Arts is a subject which demands effort, focus, discipline and talent."_ He paused, again looking at the students, but this time with a gloomy grin. _"When I see you now, I doubt that many of you will reach far in this subject. Maybe I'm wrong, and there is a hidden prodigy among you...but I don't think there's any danger of this."_ Snape walked among the class with small, silent steps. He gave some of the students a discouraging look, followed by a deep sigh. _"Despite this, I'll make a valiant attempt to knock some knowledge into your heads. Who knows? Perhaps you'll be able to protect yourself against a simple jinx by the end of the year? Yes, I know I'm demanding too much of you right now, but unfortunately, it's a chance I have to take."_ He turned on his heel and walked over to the blackboard, pulled out his wand and asked, _"What forms of dark arts do we have?"_

" _Curses?"_ said a boy from Slytherin straight out.

Snape ignored the boy and said, _"No one who knows any? Disappointing, but not unexpected."_

Hermione raised her hand and waited.

" _Miss Granger?"_ said Snape after a few seconds.

" _Dark Charms, professor?"_ said Hermione.

Snape pointed his wand towards the blackboard, and the words 'Dark Charms' wrote themselves at the top. He then turned to the boy who had spoken and said," _Mr Crabbe, I don't know what kind of impression of standard you got from your first lessons today. Not that it matters, because in my class we will raise our arm and wait for permission to answer. And don't think that because you're from my house will make a difference. In fact, because you are a Slytherin, I will expect much more from you. 3 points deducted from Slytherin because of bad manners."_ The whole class was silent for a moment until Snape said with a serious voice, _"Defence Against the Dark Arts isn't a game. If you give the subject adequate effort, acceptable focus, have enough discipline and some amount of talent. You will then learn things which will give you nightmares. But, if your effort is minimal, no focus, a total absence of discipline and no talent whatsoever. Then consider yourself lucky if you don't need a visit to the hospital wing within the next few years."_ Snape smiled sadistically at the class and added, _"At least not as often as with the first option. Have I made myself clear?"_

The whole class nodded in unison without a word.

" _Good! Also, 3 points to Ravenclaw for Miss Granger's answer. Let us return to the topic. What other forms of black arts exist?"_

At the end of the class was the blackboard full of different dark arts. _"Until next time, you shall write an essay about the major differences between the arts. Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood, I want to have a word with you both before leaving. Mr Malfoy, wait outside as I also wish to talk with you afterwards."_

The two Ravenclaw girls walked up to Snape's desk and waited until the other students had left the room.

Snape made a short flick with his wand towards the door before he spoke. _"I've made sure no one can hear us. Since I know you have Herbology in your last class today, I'll make this short. At seven o'clock, you both shall return here for a meeting with me."_

" _Professor, may I ask for what reason?"_ asked Hermione.

Snape looked between the girls a couple of times. _"It's about your magic and your future here at Hogwarts. That's all I'm going to say for now. Now, get moving. If I hear that you arrived late for your Herbology class, I will make sure your 3 points disappear as fast as you got them."_

The two girls left the classroom while avoiding the nasty glare from Draco as he disappeared in the door behind them. They hurried through the castle so they would reach their Herbology lesson in time. With only a couple of minutes to spare, they stepped inside the greenhouse where the Ravenclaws waited with Hufflepuff.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

An hour later they all left the greenhouse and wandered back to the castle. Their first day was over, and some of the students let out a sigh of relief.

" _It's only our first day, and I'm already exhausted,"_ said Marietta. _"Didn't know that studying magic was so tiresome."_

" _It will be easier with time,"_ said Luna.

" _Luna, aren't you tired?"_ asked Marietta.

" _No,"_ replied Luna.

" _You must have been doing a lot of studying before Hogwarts then? Did your parents help you?"_ asked Marietta, but without waiting for an answer, she continued, _"My parents rarely have time for me. My mother works long hours at the Ministry and my father travels a lot."_

It was true that Luna had been studying a lot of magic before she began at Hogwarts. But, it hadn't been because of her parents, but Hermione. As Luna had said at breakfast, you would rarely find the brunette without a book or more nearby. A habit which had affected Luna as well, even though she had never reached Hermione's level of reading.

" _Marietta?"_ said Luna.

" _Yes?"_

" _If you need help with your studies, I can help if you wish?"_

" _That...that would be kind of you,"_ answered Marietta.

" _And I'm sure Hermione will also help, right?"_ said Luna and gave Hermione a friendly nudge with her elbow.

" _Yeah...sure,"_ replied Hermione, while looking confused at Luna.

" _Thanks. Oh, I nearly forgot. I promised my mother to deliver a letter to Professor McGonagall. I see you at the table,"_ said Marietta and ran away.

Now that the two girls were alone, Hermione whispered, _"Why did you promise her that? You heard her during the sorting, didn't you? Marietta thinks any rumour her mother or anyone else tells her is true. If she finds out about our secret, the whole school will know it within an hour."_

Luna pulled Hermione to the side of the corridor and said, _"She just needs some friends, Hermione."_

" _But why us? I'm sorry to say this, but Marietta isn't exactly at the top of my list of people I wish to have as a friend,"_ said Hermione.

" _You heard what she said. Marietta's father is away much of the time, and her mother works a lot."_

" _Yes, I heard that, but what difference does it make?"_

" _A lot,"_ said Luna. _"Your mother also works many hours at the bookstore, but she still finds time for you, doesn't she?"_

" _Well, yes...but..."_

" _What would you have done if she hadn't?"_ said Luna. _"Maybe you would do anything to have your mother acknowledge you? Even if it meant believing in lies and rumours?"_

" _Wait,"_ said Hermione. _"You're saying that the reason Marietta believes in all these rumours, is because she wants recognition from her mother?"_

Luna nodded.

" _How do you even know this?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Remember when you went on a holiday to France with your mother this summer?"_

" _Yes."_

" _I stayed a few days with the Weasleys while you were gone. Ginny and I talked a lot, and she told me something."_ Luna sat down on the floor and waited for Hermione to do the same. _"As the youngest of the Weasleys, Ginny didn't get as much attention like her brothers. It's not because Arthur and Molly don't love her, but with seven children, there is only so much time for each of them. Have you noticed one major difference between Ginny and her brothers?"_

" _Hm,"_ said Hermione. _"Except for the obvious that she's a girl and her brothers' isn't...then I'm not sure exactly...wait, perhaps I know what you're thinking about. When Ginny is with the others, she's a lot more like them, noisy and playful. But when she's alone with you and me, Ginny is much calmer and silent."_

" _Exactly,"_ said Luna. _"Ginny told me that's because she's not seeking our recognition since she already has it. But at home, Ginny always has to fight against her brothers for their parent's attention. The only way she could do that was becoming more like her siblings. Or as you say it, noisy and playful."_

" _But Marietta don't have siblings?"_

" _No, but she instead has to compete against the hours her mother spend at the Ministry. So I guess Marietta makes her mother tell the stories she hears on her job. That way, Marietta's mother have to spend a lot more time with her daughter,"_ said Luna and sighed. _"I'm sure Marietta was very young when she started doing this, and thus she doesn't know what's true any longer. At least not when it comes from her mother."_

The two girls sat without a word the next few minutes until a tear fell down Hermione's cheek.

" _Hermione? Why are you crying?"_ asked Luna.

" _I was thinking...how my life would have been without your family. My mother once told me how long her workdays had been when she worked as a dentist. She rarely came home until late in the evening,"_ said Hermione while wiping away the tear. _"If your mother hadn't come to visit us that day and invited us into the magical world, then as you said, my life could have been similar to Marietta. My father might not have left us, but I still think he wouldn't have accepted my magic. Instead, he likely would have worked long days to stay away from me as much as he could. They both would have been away from most of my life. Would I, like Marietta, have been doing everything I could to get my parents recognition? Even if it meant only a few more minutes each day?"_

Hearing Hermione talking about her father came as a surprise to Luna. It was usually a forbidden subject around the other girl. Also, this reminded Luna about a question which her mother had never answered. Why had Dumbledore chosen the Lovegood family to contact the Granger's? Why hadn't Dumbledore done it himself? Whatever the reason the old wizard had back then, Luna was happy that it had been her family. Because a life without Hermione wasn't something Luna wished to think about.

" _It's not even sure I would have been here at Hogwarts, or worse, alive!"_ continued Hermione. " _If Dumbledore hadn't detected my 'magic', I would never have received any training to control it, and you know what happens to those who can't?"_

Luna nodded. She had read the stories as much as Hermione. The fate of those who couldn't control their wild magic wasn't exactly a happy story. " _But you're here, Hermione. And you got the training to control it. There's no reason for you to think about a past which didn't happen. Instead, focus on today and tomorrow,"_ said Luna.

" _Maybe you're right, but I'm still not sure if a friendship with Marietta will work,"_ said Hermione. _"Can we even have friends?"_

" _We have Ginny and most of the Weasley family,"_ replied Luna.

" _They know what we are. I was thinking more about people who don't know."_

" _Oh."_

" _Do you remember Marissa?"_

" _Marissa Carmona? Yes, I remember her,"_ said Luna. _"She's about your age and lives in Spain. Her mother came from Devon before she married a Spanish wizard. After the wedding, they moved back to his country where Marissa was born. Every summer she visited her grandparents outside Ottery St Catchpole, or at least she used to do so. We haven't seen Marissa since the summer for...three years ago? I hope she's okay."_

" _She's fine,"_ said Hermione.

" _Have you talked with her?"_

" _No, but I met her grandparents this summer and asked about Marissa. They told me she would begin at Beauxbatons this year and...why we hadn't seen her lately,"_ said Hermione. _"In the four summers we knew Marissa, we always met each other in our mothers' bookstore or around in the village. She loved books as much as I did, so I really liked her. But our parents had warned us about getting too close to others, which stopped me from getting to know her better. So, we never asked her to visit any of us, or accepted any of her invites to her grandparents."_

" _I guess she got tired of trying?"_

Hermione nodded. _"Yes, that's what her grandparents said. Our fear and paranoia made it impossible to create a lasting friendship with Marissa. So, why should it work any better with Marietta?"_

" _Are you saying we're not able to have a friendship with others unless they are like you and me?"_

" _No, I'm only saying that having friends who aren't like us could be difficult. We either would have to keep them in the dark or tell them the truth. And as your mother often say, not everyone can handle the truth about us. Let's say we become friends with Marietta and she finds out who we truly are? Should we then leave her or tell her?"_

It wasn't that Luna didn't understand the dangers of this kind of friendship. Her mother had spent many evenings with her daughter, talking about how Luna should approach other people. As Hogwarts came closer, Luna had begun to understand why most people with wild magic lived such solitary lives. _"Hermione, it doesn't matter. I know there're risks by befriending Marietta, but if we don't, she could become an even greater danger for us."_

" _How so?"_

" _I know what our mothers have been lecturing about the last couple of years, but I don't agree with them,"_ said Luna. _"It's always the same, stay away from anyone you can't trust."_

" _Yes, but..."_

" _How can we know who to trust if we don't allow them to come closer?"_ interrupted Luna. _"If we keep pushing people away from us, most of them will start asking questions. That's why most of our kind live far away from others. Friend or not, anyone can become a problem. Didn't you once said that curiosity is part of the human nature?"_

" _Yes, I've said that a couple of times."_

" _You have also said the chance for us going unnoticed all these years is minimal."_

" _That's why I suggested this morning that we should create something which would make them look a different way,"_ said Hermione.

" _But what happens if some still look the wrong way? There are hundreds of students at this school. We can't keep an eye on every one of them alone,"_ said Luna. " _Hermione, we're going to need help."_

Hermione didn't answer but instead sat there while she was thinking through their options. Luna knew this because it wasn't the first time she had seen her friend doing this. The brunette was perhaps one of the brightest for her age, but this wasn't a problem you could solve by books alone.

" _I agree,"_ said Hermione finally after several minutes. _"But not Marietta. At least not to begin with. I'm sorry, but I'm struggling to trust her."_

" _Are you thinking about someone else then?"_

Hermione smiled and nodded. _"The Patil sisters. We don't know yet if they are like us, but I'm willing to take the chance."_

" _And how shall we do that?"_

" _I'm not sure. We have to wait and see what happen,"_ said Hermione and stood up. _"Shall we try to get some dinner before our meeting with Dumbledore?"_

Luna jumped up, grabbed Hermione's hand and said, _"I guess we should. We have a long evening in front of us."_

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

After a swift dinner, Hermione and Luna waited outside the Great Hall for Professor McGonagall.

" _She's late,"_ said Hermione when she looked at a pocket watch in her hand.

" _It's that Cho's?"_ asked Luna.

" _Yes,"_ replied Hermione and closed the lid on the watch. _"I borrowed it since we have so many appointments tonight. Except for the one with Charlie, I don't think it's wise to be late for any of them."_

" _Charlie will understand if we can't make it,"_ said Luna.

" _Let's hope it won't come to that. I really wish to hear that story from him."_

'Me too,' thought Luna. During today's classes, she had struggled to not think about that door. The most important question was, why had Luna been able to see it last evening when the door apparently hasn't been there for many years.

" _We should head to the Owlery if we get the time,"_ said Hermione. _"I want to send a message to my mother and ask if she can get me a pocket watch too. Then I don't have to borrow Cho's all the time."_

At last, Professor McGonagall came marching through the hallway towards the girls and said, _"I'm deeply sorry that I'm late. There was a little situation on the way I had to take care of. Are you ready to go?"_

The girls nodded and followed the professor as she led them through the castle. They walked up a stair to the 2nd floor and almost immediately turned around a corner into a corridor. Further down, they swung around another corner. At the end of the hallway they now were walking, they could see a large Gargoyle statue at the end.

" _This is the entrance to the Headmaster's office,"_ said McGonagall when she stopped next to the statue. _"You'll need a password to activate it. I hopefully don't need to remind you that the password shall not be shared with any of the other students."_

" _We will keep it for ourselves, professor,"_ said Hermione.

" _Good. The current passport is 'Butterscotch',"_ said McGonagall. Just seconds after, the gargoyle became alive and hopped aside. The wall behind where the statue had stood now split in two and revealed a spiral staircase which moved smoothly upwards. _"Step on the stair, and it will take you to Dumbledore. Remember to knock before you enter."_

" _You're not coming with us, professor?"_ asked Luna.

" _No. I have one more class today and need to finish some preparation before it begins,"_ said McGonagall. She turned around and walked away.

Luna took Hermione's hand and pulled the girl carefully onto the stairway. As they rose upwards, the wall closed itself with a thud behind them. How long they stood there without a word was uncertain, but after a while, they could see a gleaming oak door ahead. They walked off the staircase when it reached the top and stopped in front of the door.

" _There's no reason to be tense,"_ whispered Luna. _"It's only Dumbledore."_

" _That's the problem,"_ replied Hermione.

Luna knew what Hermione meant with this, but they had no other choices for the moment. She raised her hand and knocked on the door.

" _Enter,"_ said a voice from the inside.

Luna twisted the griffon shaped brass knocker around and opened the door. The two girls came into a large, circular room with several unknown silver instruments on spindle-legged tables. Portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses covered the upper walls, while most of the lower part had bookshelves with more books than Luna had ever seen. The blond girl grinned for herself, knowing Hermione most likely was drooling now by this sight. Almost in the centre of the room stood an enormous, claw-footed desk with a shelf on the wall behind it were Luna could see the Sorting Hat.

" _Ah, I'm glad you both could make it here,"_ said Dumbledore when he walked down the stair from the second floor of the room. He pointed towards two wooden chairs in front of the desk. _"Please, have a seat. I'll be with you in a moment."_ The old wizard opened a cabinet next to the stair and took out a small wooden box. He sat down on the large chair behind the desk and put the box in front of him. _"I'm sorry that Fawkes isn't here, Miss Lovegood. I know about your fascination for magical creatures and how it would please you to see a Phoenix."_

" _That's okay, professor. I'm sure there will be other chances to see him,"_ said Luna while she tried to hide her disappointment. She had heard about the Headmaster's Phoenix from her mother, which had made Luna looking forward to seeing the bird with her own eyes.

" _Yes, I'm sure it will be other days,"_ said Dumbledore. The Headmaster looked carefully between the two girls before he continued. _"Now, the reason I wished to talk with you both today is mostly to give some information. Considering the subject, it's not safe to use written messages or speaking about it in an unsafe room. But first, how has your first day been?"_

" _It has been as expected,"_ said Hermione briefly.

" _I don't enjoy the dungeons so much, but besides that, it's been fun,"_ said Luna.

" _Ah, yes. I suspected as much,"_ said Dumbledore. _"You're not the only one. Many students are having problems with the 'decoration' there the first weeks, Miss Lovegood."_

Luna nodded. _"My mother warned me, but I had hoped to handle the situation better."_

" _Don't be so discouraged. It only shows your love for other living beings, which is a trait you should value every day,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Thanks,"_ replied Luna with blushing cheeks.

" _Well, let us see,"_ said Dumbledore and looked at a parchment. _"I made a list to make sure I didn't forget anything. Your parents did tell you that each Head of the four houses knows about your magic?"_

" _Yes,"_ replied Hermione.

" _Good. Their opinion can perhaps differ on this matter, but I have the utmost trust in each one of the teachers,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Professor McGonagall has already informed us about her thoughts when it comes to our magic,"_ said Luna.

Dumbledore sighed. _"It's difficult for most to understand wild magic without having it themselves. Minerva is no exception to this rule. She can perhaps be the most vocal about her opinions, but she's someone who cares deeply for the school's students. Wild magic or not, Minerva will always do what she can to help."_

Even Luna understood that Dumbledore's words only was a partial truth. If Professor McGonagall had to choose between protecting someone with wild magic and someone without, which side would she pick?

" _In addition to these four, I have also told our matron Madam Pomfrey and Madam Pince who is the schools' librarian about you,"_ said Dumbledore. _"They are both trustworthy and won't reveal your secret."_

" _Sir, I kind of understand why you had to tell Madam Pomfrey, but why Madam Pince?"_ asked Hermione.

" _I'll explain in a moment. Patience, Miss Granger."_

" _Sorry!"_

" _I have informed them out of practicality,"_ said Dumbledore. _"Madam Pomfrey need to know since ordinary healing magic and potions don't always work on us. But don't worry, she has managed to modify most of those who don't work."_

" _Most?"_ said Luna.

" _Some of the more advanced cures are sadly out of her league, but luckily, they are rarely needed,"_ said Dumbledore with a smile. _"Now, about Madam Pince. To begin with, I didn't wish to include her, but she gave me no choice."_ Dumbledore opened the wooden box and took out two circular bronze badges. He gave one to each of the girls.

Luna looked at the badge. On one side was the crest of Hogwarts, while on the opposite side had the letters A and D engraved into it.

" _Those badges will give you access to the Restricted Section in the school's library. It did take me a long time to convince Madam Pince about allowing this,"_ said Dumbledore with a huge sigh. _"That woman protects the books fiercer than a dragon over her eggs. It wasn't until I explained Madam Pince why two first-years would need this access that she finally accepted."_

" _Eh, Professor Dumbledore. Why do we need access to the Restricted Section? My mother explained about that part of the library and why it's prohibited for most of the students to enter there,"_ said Luna.

Dumbledore looked at the two girls with a face which revealed that he wasn't sure what to say. _"I've trained many children with wild magic throughout the years, but no one has excelled as much as you two. Where most of the children struggle to finish the basic training before they begin at Hogwarts, you did it in record time. It surprised me, but not as much as what happened next."_

" _And that was?"_ asked Hermione.

" _With your training finished, I thought you would relax and enjoy the free time. Instead, you continued to search for more information about wild magic. And when you discovered Miss Ginevra Weasley, you helped her to improve much faster than what her parents or I could ever do. In you two, I saw something I had been looking after for a long time now."_

Both of the girls stared surprised at the Headmaster.

" _There's no secret that I'm not so young as I once were,"_ continued Dumbledore. _"One day, my time will come. But when it does, it would delight my heart if I knew someone would continue my research on wild magic."_

" _What? You...you...want us to take over your research?"_ said Hermione.

" _That's exactly what I wish, Miss Granger. I can't think of anyone better who is suited for this than you and Miss Lovegood,"_ said Dumbledore. _"Of course, I'm not going to drop everything on top of you straight away. Your primary focus the next seven years should be your schoolwork and the continuation of learning how to use your wild magic. So, I want you to take small steps in the beginning."_

" _I assume that's where these badges come into play?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Yes,"_ said Dumbledore with a nod. _"In the Restricted Section, we have most of the advanced books about magic, potions and lots of other things. But the most important part for you are the books which contain the lesser known history of our world. I have already removed those books which contained direct information about wild magic. But, there is a good chance that it will be some hidden references among the remaining books. Your first task will be to find as many you can. It will give you training in finding hidden information."_

" _Professor, I'm not complaining,"_ said Luna and looked at the badge in her hand, _"but this task is better suited for Hermione than me. She is the one who knows where to look for information in books and other places. I would probably just get in the way for her and..."_

" _You're never in the way!"_ said Hermione swiftly. _"You never have or ever will be in my way. Yes, I do love books, but you're my best friend and is worth more than any library I ever have come across."_

" _Sorry,"_ whispered Luna. Why was she still questioning Hermione's loyalty to her?

" _And no, you aren't just someone who will make sure I don't starve,"_ continued Hermione. _"It's true that searching for information is something I excel at, but I'm not always so good at processing this information. I often take what I find for granted and forget to ask the critical questions. If they let me loose inside the library alone, then there's a good chance that much of my findings would be inadequate and worthless. That's what I love about you, Luna. You see things different than me and knows when to ask the right questions."_

It was true that Luna in the past had been asking questions about the information Hermione found in old books and parchments. But the blonde girl had never thought it made such a difference. Maybe it wasn't Hermione's loyalty to Luna which was the problem, but Luna's trust in herself? You could ask the blonde any question about magical creatures, and she would almost instantly know the answer. But Luna felt that this knowledge was worthless compared to everything Hermione knew.

Dumbledore coughed a few times lightly and said, _"I'm sure you will do well in this task together. But there is a couple of things you need to know before you begin. For the first, every book in the Restricted Section is protected by a Charm to prevent anyone who isn't allowed to handle them. Normally, only Madam Pince and those teachers who know how to deactivate the Charm is allowed access inside this section. In all the years I've been at Hogwarts, there hasn't been a single student with the privilege of free access to the Restricted Section. So after I had convinced Madam Pince to give you access, I then asked for permission to teach you how to disable the Charm. She once again refused."_

" _But, if we can't..."_ said Hermione, but stopped when Dumbledore raised his hand.

" _Let me finish, Miss Granger,"_ said Dumbledore. _"After some back and forward, Madam Pince and I agreed on a compromise. Those badges I gave you have been enchanted with another Charm which will suppress the protection magic. Keep the badges on you when you're handling books from the Restricted Section, and it will be safe. You're allowed to take the books with you out of the library, but remember to notify Madam Pince before you do so."_

" _But, professor. Wouldn't taking the books out of the library be a problem?"_ asked Hermione. _"We will, of course, take good care of them and not let them lying around. But what if someone takes one of the books without we noticing it?"_

Dumbledore smiled. _"As I said, those badges will only suppress the protection, not deactivate it. The Charm will prevent anyone from opening the book if they don't have a badge on them. And if they carry the book too far away from any of you, the second stage of the protection will activate."_

" _And what happens then,"_ asked Luna.

" _They will discover a surprise which Madam Pince has left for them. She didn't tell me what it was, but if I know our librarian well, it's not of the friendly kind,"_ replied Dumbledore and put his hand inside the wooden box again. This time he pulled out two old keys and gave one to each of the girls. _"Of course, what we were just discussing will only happen if you perform your studies in the Ravenclaw tower. I have therefore prepared a private room for you at the castle's east side. It's on the third floor of a turret, not far from the Ravenclaw tower. It's not a large room, but it should be sufficient for your use. I have added several enchantments of my own, so anyone who tries to listen at the door or the window will be sorely disappointed."_

" _Are we the only one with a key to this room?"_ asked Hermione.

" _No. I do of course have a key, and so do Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape."_

" _Do they know why we have access to this room?"_ asked Luna.

" _Yes, they have both been informed about my plans,"_ replied Dumbledore.

Professor McGonagall was the school's Deputy Headmistress, so it was obvious why she had a spare key, but why did Snape also have one? Would it not be more natural if Flitwick had one since he was the Head of Ravenclaw? Maybe they would understand the reason when they were meeting Snape later?

" _If you should encounter problems or discover something unusual during your research, don't hesitate to contact me. If I'm not available, you can find either McGonagall or Snape and tell them that you have a problem with the Phoenix Feather. They will know what it means and pass along the message to me,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _What if it's a serious problem? One where we will need help right away?"_ asked Hermione.

" _The same, but instead say; I have lost the Phoenix Feather. They will then contact me immediately while making sure you're protected from any danger,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Professor?"_

" _Yes, Miss Lovegood?"_

" _Do you expect problems with our studies?"_ asked Luna.

Dumbledore's happiness faded from his face. _"I'm hoping that it won't be any, but I always prefer to prepare for the worst when it comes to wild magic. The reason for your easy introduction into these studies isn't only because I'm afraid to overburden you with work. But also to give you time to practice your...well, there's no better word for it...lies."_

" _Lies?"_ nearly yelled the two girls in unison.

" _Yes,"_ said Dumbledore. _"You already know this, but because how shunned wild magic are in our world, we have to take precautions. Among those who don't support us, scared eyes are the best we can hope for. The treatment users of wild magic have been given throughout the history, isn't something you should tell your children as a bedtime story. We only tell the truth to those we trust, and for everyone else, we create stories with the intention of protecting ourselves and others like us. It's not fun, can create great distrust if discovered and it's certainly not honourable. But it's our only option, for now at least."_

" _So when we're looking for information about wild magic, we have to pretend we're looking for something else?"_ asked Hermione.

" _I'm afraid so, Miss Granger. Not even the Ministry of Magic knows about the true purpose of this research,"_ said Dumbledore. _"I have a few friends there who knows, but they aren't in any position to change things for the better. As far as the Ministry knows, your research is a part of a trial project. One where children with extraordinary abilities are given a chance to study more advanced magic earlier than normal. Which when you think about it, is true to some degree. The best lies are always those with some truth in them."_

For the next twenty minutes or so, Dumbledore explained the best way to find clues about wild magic in books. After that was the meeting over and the two girls let the spiral staircase carry them down from Dumbledore's office again. At the bottom, they stepped out into the corridor while hearing the wall close behind them. The gargoyle moved to protect the entrance to the Headmaster's office once again.

" _Why?"_ whispered Luna. _"Why do our lives have to be so complicated? Our parents wanted us to lie. Dumbledore wants us to lie and..."_

" _I want us to lie?"_ added Hermione.

Luna just nodded.

Hermione put her arms around the blonde girl and hugged her. _"For the last few years, we have known that our lives never would be normal. But I guess we didn't understand how difficult it would be."_

" _Especially since none of us are good liars,"_ said Luna.

Hermione broke out in laughter. _"That's true, but I don't think we have any other choice. Either we like it or not, we have to learn. Not because we want to be cruel against others, but because we wish to survive."_

" _It doesn't make it any better."_

" _I know."_ Hermione pulled out the pocket watch and looked at it. _"It's almost 20 minutes past six. We're too late for our meeting with Charlie."_

" _There's not enough time for him to tell us the story?"_ asked Luna.

" _Depends on how long it is, but I think we should wait for another time,"_ replied Hermione. She put the clock away and began walking down the corridor. _"Let us see if we can find him and explain why we didn't make it in time."_

The two girls were almost at the corridor with the stair down when they heard two familiar voices around the corner ahead. Hermione put a finger on her mouth and silently walked closer.

" _Where can she be?"_ said a girl.

" _She could be anywhere,"_ answered a boy.

It was Elena and Robert, the two Ravenclaw prefects.

" _How are we supposed to find her? She can go places we can't,"_ said Elena.

" _I know that, but professor Flitwick has asked most of the older students to help him in the search,"_ replied Robert.

" _Can't he ask the other ghosts? They would know where she's hiding?"_

" _He did ask them, but they haven't seen the Grey Lady since before the sorting. Luckily, it seems none of the first-years has noticed her absence,"_ said Robert.

" _I don't get it. The Grey Lady has always welcomed new Ravenclaws since she became the house ghost. So why not this year?"_ said Elena.

" _You have to ask her. Let us continue our search. Can you have a look in the dungeons while I search around the Great Hall?"_

Elena sighed. " _Fine. But I don't see the point. Somehow, I don't think she wishes to be found."_

As the two prefects walked away, the sound of them disappeared down the stairs.

" _The Grey Lady is missing?"_ said Luna.

" _It seems so. I must have been truly worried at the sorting since I didn't notice,"_ said Hermione.

" _I did, but I didn't think of asking the others why she wasn't there."_

" _Come, let's find Charlie. Maybe he knows more,"_ said Hermione and run down the stairs with Luna following behind.

The two girls were halfway to the school's library when they found Charlie. He was talking to a professor who Luna didn't recognise. It was a young man with pale skin and a purple turban on his head. When he noticed the girls coming towards them, he said a quick goodbye to Charlie and walked away with swift steps.

" _Charlie, who was that?"_ asked Luna.

" _Professor Quirrell, he is teaching Muggle Studies,"_ replied Charlie. _"He's been in Albania for the last year, but it doesn't seem to have done him any good to be honest. The Quirrell I remember wasn't this nervous and didn't stutter. I wonder what happened to him when he was away?"_

" _Maybe he saw something which he wasn't prepared for?"_ said Hermione.

" _Maybe, but he hasn't spoken much about his adventures in Albania,"_ answered Charlie and looked at the two girls. _"So, you didn't come to the library. I guess something got in the way?"_

" _Our meeting with Dumbledore did take longer than expected,"_ said Hermione.

" _Dumbledore? You have had a meeting with him already?"_ asked Charlie.

The girls nodded.

" _Unexpected, but he wouldn't be Dumbledore without some surprises. Can I ask what the purpose of the meeting was, or has he forbidden you from telling people?"_

" _He didn't forbid us directly, but I have a feeling we shouldn't say anything without his permission,"_ answered Hermione.

" _Fair enough."_

" _Charlie, did you know the Grey Lady is missing?"_ asked Luna.

" _Yes. I was looking for her earlier today when McGonagall told me,"_ said Charlie.

" _You were looking for her also? Why?"_ asked Hermione.

" _I met Professor Binns after lunch and asked if he knew any more about the story I was going to tell you. He said if I wanted to hear the true version, I should speak with Helena Ravenclaw."_

" _The Grey Lady?"_ said the two girls in unison.

" _Yes. That's the name most use on her, but her real name is Helena Ravenclaw. She was the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, one of the school's founders."_

" _Why would Helena know the true version of your story?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Because the story the girl had told me has clearly changed over the years. The one I heard shall have happened for about three centuries ago, but Binns claimed it's much older. He said the story's origin is from when they built the school."_

" _Which would mean that Helena was alive when it happened?"_ said Hermione.

" _Yes,"_ replied Charlie with a nod. _"According to what Binns said, there's a chance that Helena's mother had a major part in the events which created the story. So, instead of telling you a pointless ghost story, why not having a real ghost tell you the true story?"_

" _A good idea, except that nobody can find her,"_ said Hermione.

Charlie sighed. _"I know. I have been looking around, even asked Sir Nicholas and the Fat Friar, but they didn't know where the Grey Lady was. Most of the ghosts have been searching the whole day for her, but there's no trace of her anywhere."_

" _Could she have...moved on?"_ asked Luna.

" _It's a possibility, but my knowledge about ghosts is limited,"_ said Charlie. _"I'm not even sure if a ghost can 'die', voluntarily or not?"_

" _I believe there's a way to kill a ghost,"_ said Hermione. _"In one of the older history books I read, there was a slight mention of how someone murdered a ghost. But it didn't say how it had been done."_

" _Well, I hope that magic is forgotten now. Some spells should never have been made,"_ replied Charlie.

Hermione looked at her watch and said, _"I wouldn't mind helping search for Helena, but Luna and I have another meeting to attend."_

" _Another one? Who is it this time?"_ asked Charlie.

As the two girls made their way down the corridor, Hermione answered, _"Professor Snape._ "

They didn't hear Charlie's answer, which was perhaps just as well. The Weasley family had never been particularly fond of the Slytherin teacher. Even before the girls begun at Hogwarts, stories about the cruel Snape had been told around the dining table at the Weasleys.

They reached the Defence Against the Dark Art's classroom with only five minutes to spare. The door was closed, and neither of the girls was sure if they should knock. They waited until the pocket watch showed it was seven o'clock, but before any of them could raise a hand, the door opened.

" _Get in!"_ said Snape and stepped aside to let the girls enter. He closed the door behind them and swiftly sealed it with his wand. Then he walked back to the blackboard and pointed towards a desk in front of his own. _"Sit!"_

The two girls did as Snape said and sat down. Luna looked at the blackboard and could see highly advanced spells filling all available space.

" _It's defence magic which is taught at your seventh year,"_ said Snape and with a flick on his wand, the blackboard was empty. _"But for you, it could be earlier than that. It will depend on how well you listen to my instruction's."_

" _And if we don't?"_ asked Hermione.

Snape looked at them with cold eyes. _"Then you will likely die."_

" _Die?"_ almost whispered Luna.

" _Hasn't Dumbledore informed you how the people in our world see wild magic?"_ asked Snape.

" _He has mentioned something about it,"_ said Luna. _"That we're feared and shunned because of our magic. Some would even go to such lengths that they will hunt us down and...kill us?"_

" _Yes, Miss Lovegood. And that's if you're lucky to survive the training,"_ replied Snape and sat down behind his own desk.

" _Professor, you seem to know a lot about wild magic?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Of course I do know a lot, Miss Granger,"_ said Snape. For a split second, it seemed like he almost smiled, but then his face became as expressionless as always. _"Professor Dumbledore isn't the only teacher at Hogwarts with wild magic."_

It was an unexpected revelation for the girls, and Luna wasn't sure how she felt about this. Did her mother know about it? If so, why hadn't she told her daughter?

" _I can see the question forming in your eyes already. Why hasn't anyone told you about this before?"_ said Snape. _"The truth is that only Dumbledore and McGonagall knew until I told you just now. Neither of your parents has any knowledge about this, and I would prefer if it stayed that way."_

" _Why?"_ asked Hermione.

" _The answer to that is...complicated. We don't have much time because of the gathering tonight, so listen well and don't interrupt unless you have to,"_ answered Snape.

Hermione and Luna looked at each other before they nodded back to Snape.

" _Good,"_ said Snape. _"Why hasn't your parents been told? Simply because they don't need to know. Also, I'm not blind to people's view of me. Not that I care what others think, but I believe some wouldn't be happy hearing that I have wild magic. The general rule with our magic is that the fewer who knows about you, the better chance you have to survive. Dumbledore was considering telling your parents, but I convinced him otherwise. Any questions so far?"_

Neither of the girls said anything. There was something about the way Snape spoke that made them realise it would be best to pay close attention.

" _As you wish. The reason I didn't want Dumbledore to say anything, is because I don't trust him. It was he who taught me how to master my wild magic, so I should perhaps have been more grateful. But magic wasn't the only thing I learned from him,"_ said Snape. He was silent for a few seconds before he continued. _"Dumbledore seems friendly and willing to share information on the outside, but it's only a play for the world to watch. Everything he says and does is carefully thought out. Dumbledore can tell you a secret while he's keeping at least ten others hidden from you. By preventing him from telling people about me, he had one secret less to use in his game."_

" _What purpose does this game have?"_ asked Hermione.

" _I'm not sure. Dumbledore's intentions are well hidden and difficult to understand,"_ answered Snape.

" _Are we in any danger from him?"_ asked Luna.

" _I don't think so, but I would advise you both to question everything he tells you. Or as the muggles like to say; Always read between the lines,"_ said Snape. _"It may sound like paranoia, but for someone with wild magic, it's a good thing to have. Never trust anyone completely. Follow that rule, and it will increase your chance to survive."_

" _If we follow your advice, then we shouldn't trust you either?"_ said Hermione.

" _You're already learning. Good,"_ said Snape.

" _But this creates a massive logical paradox. Your advice contradicts itself,"_ continued Hermione with a deep sigh. _"We could be going in circles forever without finding any answers if we follow that advice? How do we know when to stop?"_

" _Miss Granger, is there anyone in your life you would trust no matter what happens? Don't think, just say what your heart tells you right away,"_ said Snape.

" _Yes, it's...,"_ started Hermione to say, but stopped.

Luna could see how her friend struggled with this question. She knew what name Hermione almost had said, which made Luna quite sad.

" _There is only one I can truly say I trust absolutely in my life,"_ said Hermione and turned to Luna. _"I was about to say my mother's name, but I can't. Not after what my father did. He was supposed to be there for my mother and me...but he left us both. I know that my mother loves me above all else, and it's painful to think I can't return this feeling. But if he could let us down, there will always be a slight chance my mum can do the same."_

Tears had started falling down Hermione's cheek, which Luna quickly wiped away. _"Hermione?"_

" _Why can't I trust my mother as much as I trust you, Luna?"_ sobbed Hermione. She turned back to Snape and almost yelled, _"Why not?"_

Snape didn't answer right away. He sat there and waited for Hermione to calm down. When she didn't, he said, _"Because your feelings refuse. It's that simple."_

" _SHE'S... MY... MOTHER!"_ yelled Hermione.

" _Those of us with wild magic are sensitive to our own feelings,"_ answered Snape calmly. _"It's a double-edged sword. They can amplify our magic to levels no-one else can reach. The downside is that we also understand our feelings much better than others. Which can lead to these kinds of revelations you had about your mother. Miss Lovegood, please take Miss Granger with you and try to calm her before the gathering? There's no point in continuing this meeting when Miss Granger is upset."_

" _Yes, professor,"_ said Luna. She helped a crying Hermione up from her chair and walked to the door with the brunette.

" _I will set up a new meeting for us next week,"_ said Snape behind them. _"There is more you need to know. But it would best if Miss Granger had time to think about what she'd learned. Good night."_ He then started working on a parchment on his desk as if the girls weren't there.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ravenclaw Tower, Early in the morning, Tuesday, 03rd September. 1991.**

" _Hermione."_

" _Only a few more minutes, mom,"_ grumbled Hermione and pulled the duvet over her head.

" _They need you!"_

" _Yes, but can't they wait a few...they?"_ Hermione was suddenly awake. " _Who are they?"_ asked Hermione as she sat up in bed. With no answers, she looked around and saw she was alone. Hermione stuck her head out between the curtains and searched the dormitory, but except for Mandy who was twisting around in her bed, the room was silent. If it weren't for the fact that Hermione had heard this voice before, she would have believed it was a prank from one of the other girls.

" _Come,"_ said the voice, but this time it came from the other side of the door.

Hermione stepped down onto the cold, wooden floor and walked over to the door which she silently opened. There wasn't anyone there!

" _Come!"_ said the voice a second time. Now it came from the bottom of the stair.

Anyone with common sense, which Hermione believed she had plenty of, should have refused to listen. But Hermione felt a strong urge to obey. She hurried over to her bed, changed into a pair of brown trousers and a dark blue sweater. She took the shoes in her hands and sneaked back to the door. When passing Luna's bed on the way, Hermione considered waking up the blonde girl but decided against it. If anyone deserved a good night sleep, it would be Luna. After Hermione's breakdown last evening, the other girl had done an exceptional job in calming down the brunette before the Ravenclaw gathering. Luna had also given Hermione some potion to sleep better before they went to bed. So Hermione left the dormitory without waking up her friend.

Around a minute later, Hermione was hiding behind the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw in the common room. Except for the fire in the fireplace, nothing moved. Hermione didn't waste any time and ran across the floor. She opened the riddle door and looked down the stairway. It was also empty. Every ounce of logic in her head told her not to do this, but Hermione had a strong feeling of danger. Not so much for herself, but someone else. So Hermione pushed her logic away and walked down the stairs as fast as she could without making too much noise. When she reached the bottom, she put on her shoes and search both ends of the corridor for signs of others.

It didn't take long before she heard the voice again. As she continued to follow it, Hermione stayed close to the walls so it would be more difficult to see her. She already had heard the stories about Filch, Hogwarts caretaker and his nasty cat, Mrs Norris around the Ravenclaw table. He apparently rarely slept and often wandered around the school at night. His reputation for capturing students who broke the curfew was famous or infamous, depending on whom you asked. Hermione would prefer not to become a part of the caretaker's statistics.

As Hermione continued through the school's corridors, she discovered how quiet and scary Hogwarts was at nighttime. Without the sunlight from the windows at daytime, the only shadows now came from the flickering torches. They were dancing along the wall, creating patterns resembling wild creatures trying to chew on the passing girl. Hermione knew the shadows only was playing with her mind, but because of the real threat with Filch, she couldn't relax.

" _He's near. Hide!"_ warned the voice.

Hermione ducked into a dark corner behind a pillar, hoping it would hide her from whoever this 'he' was. Peaking around the pillar, she saw that about 8-9 feet ahead of her the corridor crossed another one. Without moving and trying to not breathe too loud, Hermione waited. Less than a couple minutes later, a cat walked into the centre of the junction and sat down. It was Mrs Norris! It meant Filch couldn't be far away.

" _Well, my sweetheart. Have you seen anything?"_ said Argus Filch when he soon after walked into the same junction.

Mrs Norris looked up at the caretaker and meowed.

" _Don't worry,"_ answered Filch. _"There always someone at the beginning of the new year thinking the school's rules doesn't apply to them. But, they won't get away from us."_

This could be bad. Did Filch looked for someone specific or was he hoping to find some poor, unlucky soul? Like Hermione? Had the voice lured her into a trap? No, Hermione didn't believe it was the case. And when she thought about it, Hermione had the feeling it wasn't Filch she should worry about.

Then Filch stared down the corridor where Hermione was hiding, raised the lantern in his hand and yelled, _"WHO'S THERE?"_

Hermione froze where she sat. Had the caretaker discovered her?

" _G..g-ood evening, Mr Filch,"_ said a male voice from the darkness.

" _Oh, sorry. I didn't see it was you, Professor Quirrell,"_ said Filch. _"Are you also out to see if some first-year scoundrels are breaking the curfew?"_

" _The c..c-urfew? Yes, of c..c-ourse. There's always s..s-omeone, isn't it?"_ said Quirrell and followed with a small laugh. He walked past Hermione without spotting her and stopped next to the caretaker.

" _Of course there is. Every year there is someone who thinks they can outsmart me. But Mrs Norris and I will prove them wrong,"_ boasted Filch.

" _That's the s..s-pirit,"_ said Quirrell.

" _Well, I should keep going. I won't find any students standing here. Good night, professor,"_ said Filch and continued down the corridor. Both him and Mrs Norris passed close to Hermione, but neither of them detected her.

Quirrell remained in the intersection, watching the caretaker and his cat vanishing into another corridor. Then the professor mumbled without a single stutter in his voice. _"Bothersome rat. Finding them without the caretaker putting his nose where it doesn't belong could become a problem."_ Professor Quirrell was silent for a minute before he spoke again. _"No, don't worry. I will find them."_ He then rushed down the corridor, the opposite direction of where the caretaker had gone.

For the next several minutes, Hermione didn't move in case Filch or Quirrell was still nearby. But at last, she felt it was safe to relax and breathe out.

" _Who are these 'they' who professor Quirrell were talking about?"_ asked Luna.

" _I don't know, but we…"_ said Hermione, but immediately stopped as she spun her head around and saw Luna sitting right behind the brunette. _"Luna? What are you doing here?"_

" _I'm talking to you,"_ answered Luna.

" _Let me rephrase that question. Why are you here? I thought you were sleeping?"_

" _I was, but I woke up when I heard someone opened the door into the dormitory,"_ said Luna. _"I pushed aside one of the curtains just enough for me to see you leaving the room. After you closed the door, I asked myself: Why would Hermione leave the dormitory at night, fully dressed? You always follow the rules, unless you have a good reason to break them. So I put on my clothes and followed you. I had just caught up with you when Mrs Norris entered the junction, and I didn't get a chance to tell you. And tapping on your shoulder would have scared you and warned Mrs Norris."_

If anyone else then Luna had told Hermione this story, she would have dismissed it as a rubbish explanation. But having known the blonde girl for so long, Hermione knew it was the truth. Luna had learned the skills of traversing outdoor terrain without a sound from her mother, so Hogwarts corridors wasn't exactly a problem in comparison for the blonde girl. Although, that Luna had been able to sneak up on Hermione like this, made her aware of a massive mistake from her side. Having been so focused on the voice and what was in front of her, Hermione had forgotten to keep track of what was behind her. If Quirrell had arrived a few minutes earlier, Hermione would have been in big trouble.

" _I don't know who 'they' are, but I have to find them,"_ said Hermione.

" _How do you know?"_ asked Luna.

" _Do you remember the voice I told you about when we got our wands?"_

Luna nodded.

" _It woke me up and told me that 'they' needed my help. So I started to follow its guidance through Hogwarts. And yes, I know. I shouldn't be following such a thing without knowing its source,"_ said Hermione. _"But…"_ Hermione stopped and pondered for a moment on what to say. _"But I got the feeling I would regret not doing what it told me to do."_ She looked at Luna and tried to interpret the girl's reaction, which was difficult as the blonde girl rarely showed her emotions in a clear way. A couple of people back in the village had been claiming that Luna must be completely emotionless, which only showed how little they knew about her. Because Luna was anything but emotionless, she was just better at hiding them.

" _We should hurry then,"_ answered Luna finally. _"Neither Filch nor professor Quirrell saw us this time, but I don't think we should tempt our fate with a second meeting tonight. It could lead to an unhappy ending for both of us."_

" _You could go back to the tower you know? I can handle this…"_

" _That's sweet of you,"_ interrupted Luna, _"but I'm coming with you."_

" _Are you sure about this?"_

" _I don't know because I haven't asked myself that question. Maybe I should, but it doesn't matter what the answer would be if I did ask,"_ answered Luna and smiled. _"I would still have followed you. You and me, remember?"_

Knowing how meaningless it would be to protest at this point, Hermione only answered, _"Yes, you and me."_

When the voice once again started to guide Hermione, the two girls made sure all corridors were empty before moving out of their hiding place and across to the other side of the junction. They follow the voice for another ten minutes until Hermione stopped next to a closed door. She laid down on the floor and listened through the crack under the door. When she hadn't heard anything after several minutes, Hermione went up on her knee and twisted the doorknob carefully around. It was locked. She pulled out her wand, pointed it towards the lock and whispered, _"Alohomora."_ They heard a tiny click, and Hermione tried the doorknob again. This time the door opened without a sound and revealed a dark room on the inside.

After entering the room and closing the door behind them, Hermione and Luna sat still to let their eyes adapt to the darkness. They soon saw the contours of what was inside. It looked to be a semi-circular auditorium which slopped down towards a stage. The seats were nothing more than simple, wooden benches which either were broken or missing entirely in several places. When Hermione pulled her hand across the closest one, the thick layer of dust felt like coarse sandpaper. Finding a room at Hogwarts in this condition was strange. Pandora had told Hermione about the house-elves and their pride in keeping everything in order around the school. But this room had not seen a single elf in ages.

Luna tapped on Hermione's shoulder and pointed towards a corner of the room near the stage. Now that her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, Hermione could see two people sitting down there. Hermione and Luna crawled closer while trying not to touch anything which could fall apart. Not an easy task when even the wooden floor beneath them threaten to break. After some slow and careful manoeuvring, the two girls were as close to the unknown people as they dared. It didn't take long for Hermione to recognise them both. It was Padma and Parvati Patil! What were they doing in this room at night? Hermione inched forward one more feet to make sure it was these two girls. That's when she could see something shiny hovering around the Patil sisters in a familiar pattern. So it was true after all? Several thoughts on why the sisters were in this room filled Hermione's head, but she hadn't time to dwell on those now. Neither of them could stay in this room for long with Filch And Quirrell roaming the corridors outside.

Hermione turned her head around towards Luna and with some hand signs explained what they had to do. Luna nodded back as an answer that she had understood. Then, on Hermione signal, the two girls moved closer to the sisters. Luna reached Parvati first and waited until Hermione had placed herself next to Padma. Hermione pulled out her wand, and with a new signal to Luna, the two girls laid their hands over the Patil sisters' mouth. At the same time, Hermione flicked her wand and stopped the bells from falling to the floor.

Padma and Parvati panicked when they felt someone covering their mouths, but as soon they saw Hermione and Luna, the two sisters calmed down again. Hermione put a finger over her lips as a sign to stay quiet. The two sisters nodded and were finally free to speak again.

" _Hermione? Luna?"_ whispered Padma. _"What are you doing here? And what was the point of…"_

" _We don't have time to talk much,"_ interrupted Hermione. _"Filch and professor Quirrell are nearby, and it seems like Quirrell knows you are here somewhere."_

" _He does?"_ said Parvati. _"Why would he be looking for us? I wasn't even aware he knew who we were. His teaching Muggle studies, right?"_

" _Yes, I think so,"_ answered Hermione.

" _That's an optional subject and only available for third-year's and higher,"_ continued Parvati. She stared up to the door for a moment before she looked at Hermione again. _"Are you sure it's us he's looking after? Perhaps there are other students…"_

" _It doesn't matter,"_ interrupted Padma. _"We can't take the chance that there are others he is searching after. If he or Filch find us, we will get detention for breaking the curfew."_

" _I think detention is the least of our worries,"_ said Luna.

" _Why?"_ asked Padma.

" _Professor Quirrell's_ behaviour _and words didn't seem normal. I got an unhappy feeling when I looked at him,"_ answered Luna.

" _Unhappy feeling?"_ said Padma.

" _We can talk about this later,"_ said Hermione. _"The longer we stay here, the better chance he will have to find us. We need to get your sister back to the Gryffindor tower first."_

" _No!"_ said Padma. _"If Filch and Quirrell are out there, it would be safer if we all went to the Ravenclaw tower. It's closer, and Parvati can hide in my bed until the curfew is over. She just needs to leave before the others wake up."_

" _Are you sure?"_ asked Hermione.

Padma nodded. _"It was our backup plan if something like this happened. The more time we spend in the corridor, the greater the chance we will be found."_

" _Okay. We should choose a different way back. Cho told me that Filch's cat seems to be able to follow people's tracks. I'm not sure if it's true, but it wouldn't surprise me. We should avoid crossing our previous path to be sure,"_ said Hermione.

" _I agree,"_ answered Padma.

Without a word more, the four girls slowly walked back to the door. Hermione cracks it open and peeked outside into the corridor. It was empty with no signs of either Filch, Mrs Norris or Quirrell. They all left the room and found a nearby dark corner where they stopped for a short moment.

" _I will go first with Luna behind me, then Parvati and Padma at the rear,"_ said Hermione. _"Try to stay a couple of feet behind the next one. That way, if one of you stumble in the dark, you won't take others with you."_

Their new path took them through some narrow side corridors which mostly was unlit. It made their progress slower since they couldn't take a chance to use their wands for light. But at least they would be able to see Filch or Quirrell from a distance since they would need some form of light to find the girls. Mrs Norris would of course not have this issue, but the four girls didn't have much of choice. After almost 15 minutes without running into anyone else, the girls were getting close to the Ravenclaw tower. Then, with less than 10 yards remaining of a dark corridor which led to the Transfiguration corridor, they all abruptly stopped. They could hear steps ahead of them and saw the shine from a moving light getting closer to where the two passages met. All four girls hid behind a large bench who stood next to the wall and hoped it would be enough to cover them.

From where Hermione now laid, she couldn't see much of what was happening around her. A pillar was blocking the view towards the Transfiguration corridor, making it impossible to know if it was Filch or Quirrell who was carrying the light. Not that Hermione could move anyway because Luna in her rush to hide, had ended on top of Hermione's feet. So all Hermione could do was watching the roof and hoping whoever it was in the other corridor, they wouldn't come this way. If they did, you would have to be blind to not see the four girls in this narrow corridor. This thought had barely crossed her mind before her worst fear became a reality. The steps and the light were moving further into the corridor. In a few seconds, they would be spotted and be looking forward to weeks of detention. But then the light stopped moving, and a voice called out through the darkness, and for the second time tonight she heard, _"WHO'S THERE?"_

It was Filch! Not that it made Hermione any happier, but it was the least of two evils. As she was about to stand up and surrender to the caretaker, a second voice sounded next to the girls.

" _Mr Filch, if you're going to walk around at night to catch students out of their beds, you shouldn't yell every time you think you see something,"_ said Severus Snape as he lit the tip of his wand. _"Some of them are perhaps not the most clever of the lot, but they aren't deaf. If they hear you before you see them, then it's obvious they will run like rats and hide."_

" _Perhaps you're right, Professor Snape. I shall remember that for next time,"_ said Filch.

" _Do that,"_ answered Snape.

" _But I doubt any students are running around tonight,"_ said Filch.

" _Oh, why do you say that?"_ asked Snape.

" _You're the second teacher I've met tonight, and if the four of us together haven't seen anything, it's likely nothing to be found."_

" _Have you searched near the Great Hall?"_

" _You think there is someone there?"_ asked Filch.

" _Perhaps. You never know,"_ said Snape.

" _Right, I will go there now and find out,"_ said Filch. Then it sounded like he turned around and walked away at a fast pace.

Snape stood still for a moment, waiting for the caretaker to leave. Then he tilted his head to the side and looked down at the girls. He lowered his wand towards them, and as he moved it over them, he said, _"Granger, Lovegood and the Patil sisters. What a surprise to see you all here."_

" _Professor?"_ said Hermione. She wondered why Snape had said nothing to Filch about them. Perhaps he wanted the honour for himself?

" _You're all aware that staying outside of your houses during curfew is against the rules?"_

" _Yes, professor,"_ answered Hermione again.

" _Good,"_ said Snape and extinguished his wand. _"Granger, I would suggest that you rectify the situation before someone else is coming. The next one is perhaps not so…understanding."_ With those words, Snape walked away as if nothing had happened.

The four girls looked confused at each other, trying to understand what had just happened. But they also knew that they couldn't delay too much. Filch could be back any time, and Quirrell was also somewhere out there. So Hermione led the group out of the darkness and into the Transfiguration corridor. They could see the back of Snape as he turned around a corner further down. Luckily, they reached the stairway without any more signs of either Filch or Quirrell. They had only one more hurdle to pass, and they would be safe.

" _I'm tall when I'm young, and I'm short when I'm old. What am I?"_ asked the door into the Ravenclaw tower.

" _A candle,"_ answered Padma.

The door opened, and the four girls didn't hesitate to enter the common room. It was still empty, and they could at last relax. Neither of the girls said anything for the first minutes until Padma broke the silence.

" _So, I guess we need to have a little talk? Because I have a lot of questions and no answers,"_ said Padma.

Hermione looked at the pocket watch and saw that the clock had passed five with twelve minutes. She put it away and said, _"Yes, but not here and now."_

" _Right. When and where?"_ asked Padma.

" _Meet us outside of the Great Hall after dinner. There is a place where we can talk freely and perhaps solve a problem for you both,"_ answered Hermione.

" _Okay,"_ replied Padma and turned to her sister. _"Let us go up before anyone sees you down here."_

Hermione and Luna watched as the two sisters crossed the floor and disappeared in the door which led to the girls' dormitory. Shortly after, Luna also stood up and was about to follow the others, but noticed that Hermione still sat on the floor.

" _You're not coming?"_ asked Luna.

" _I will, but I have to clear my head a bit,"_ answered Hermione.

Luna sat down next to Hermione and asked, _"Do you wish to share what's on your mind?"_

" _Don't you think there's too much going on right now? We have been here for less than two days and to use the words of Padma: There are more questions than answers right now,"_ said Hermione. _"First the door you saw, then Dumbledore's offer followed by Snape's warning. And tonight, I heard a voice which led us to the Patil sisters. We run into professor Quirrell, who for some unknown reason, also was looking for them. And then Snape somehow saved us from Filch. Has he been following us or did he just happened to be there at the right moment?"_

" _Don't forget the Patil sisters,"_ said Luna.

" _Didn't I mention them?"_

" _Yes, but I was thinking about why they were in that room tonight and doing that exercise?"_

" _Thanks, I almost forgot that,"_ answered Hermione. _"I guess they weren't able to finish before they started at Hogwarts? But, I then wonder why Dumbledore hasn't given them a private room to complete their training."_

" _Maybe he doesn't know?"_ answered Luna.

" _It's not making any sense. Why would Dumbledore train them and not knowing how far they have come?"_ said Hermione and sighed. _"It was the same with Ginny. She also had problems finishing her exercises, and Dumbledore didn't seem to be aware or cared enough."_

" _But when we were doing it, Dumbledore asked about our progress every week. He even seemed disappointed each time we struggled,"_ said Luna.

Luna was right as usual. If Dumbledore was training all of them, why did it seem like the old wizard was more interested in Hermione and Luna? Why didn't he follow-up the others as much? _"I don't know what you think, but I will be careful around Dumbledore until I know where I have him."_

" _You're trusting Snape?"_

Hermione shook her head. _"Snape told us that Dumbledore was playing a game, but I would be a fool not to think Snape also has his own game running."_

" _Then what are we going to do?"_ asked Luna.

" _Since everyone else seems to do it, I guess we should play our own game."_

" _What about Padma and Parvati?"_

" _I believe…we can trust them,"_ said Hermione. _"I'm not sure why, but I see a pattern here. Each time we have this familiar feeling for others, it turns out they have wild magic."_

" _What about the Slytherin girl? Should we contact her, or do we wait?"_

" _I'm not sure. We can't just walk up to her and say: Hi, we know you have wild magic and wish to help you. She would just have denied everything,"_ said Hermione. _"After all, wouldn't we have done the same if some stranger tried asking us?"_

" _True."_

" _There's nothing we can do for the moment unless something happens. We can discuss it with Padma and Parvati tomorrow. Perhaps they have an idea on how to approach the Greengrass girl?"_

" _Perhaps,"_ said Luna. _"Just one thing, Hermione. Next time you're leaving the tower at night, wake me up. I understand your desire to protect me, but keeping me in the dark doesn't help you or me. Do you remember what I told you yesterday? About that we can't keep an eye on everyone at the school?"_

Hermione nodded. _"Yes, I remember."_

" _You agreed with me, but you're still trying to do the opposite. I don't mind you protecting me, but allow me to protect you in return,"_ said Luna. _"But for it to work, we need to know each other's problems no matter how unpleasant they can be."_

Hermione knew how true this was, but it was as though every fibre in her body rejected the idea. She had always been this protective of Luna, but since the incident with the Weasley twins, it had become much stronger. The brunette had also promised Luna's mother to look after her daughter at Hogwarts. So now, each time Hermione wished to tell Luna something important, the brunette always question herself if it would be better not to say anything. Why couldn't she trust the other girl like when they were younger? Back then, Hermione would share any problems with the blonde girl without hesitation. And each time, they had solved the problems together. Where did this unwillingness come from? The same as her anger?

" _Hermione?"_

" _Sorry, I had to think for a moment,"_ said Hermione. She looked at Luna and could see how much the blonde girl cared for her. Something had changed between them the last couple of years, and Hermione…no, that wasn't true. Luna hadn't changed. The blonde girl was the same as she always had been, but Hermione…she was the one who had changed and not for the better. _"Luna?"_

" _Yes?"_

" _Am I…different from what you remember me?"_

" _Different, what do you mean?"_

" _I have always cared for you, Luna. But I'm wondering if I have become too obsessive?"_ replied Hermione.

" _Why would you think that?"_

" _During our first years together, it was just you and me with our families. But as more people are entering our lives, my fear of what could happen to you is increasing. It began after we met the Weasleys, then Harry and Draco, and finally Hogwarts."_

Luna stared into the floor and nearly whispered her answer. _"Yes, I've noticed these changes."_

A sad smile spread over Hermione's face.

" _But, isn't that a part of life?"_ continued Luna. _"We can't stay the same forever, can we? As we get older, we gain more knowledge and…hopefully become wiser?"_

" _I don't feel any wiser, just angrier,"_ said Hermione shameful.

" _Yes, you're a bit angrier than before, but also much wiser,"_ answered Luna. _"Acknowledging a problem is always a good first step. That's what my mother says when I'm doing something wrong."_

There was wisdom in Luna's words. Maybe Hermione should stop worrying and instead do something about the main problem, her anger. If she only knew where to begin. Again a question without an answer.

 **XXXXXXX**

After having taken an hour-long nap, the two girls sorted out their bags and went to the Great Hall. It was still early in the morning, and except for a couple of Hufflepuffs and one Gryffindor, the large hall was empty. They sat down in the middle of the Ravenclaw table, made themselves some sandwiches and waited while they were eating. Fifteen to twenty minutes later started more of the students to enter the Great Hall. As expected was most from Ravenclaw, but also the two Patil sisters. They exchanged a few words before going to their tables.

Padma sat down next to Hermione and said with a thin smile, _"Morning."_

" _You got her out before someone noticed?"_ whispered Hermione.

Padma nodded. _"But it was close. When we left the dormitory, we could hear voices further up the stairs."_

" _Good morning everyone,"_ interrupted Cho when she sat down on the other side of the table. _"I see you're all up early today?"_

'Yeah, if she only had known how early it had been,' thought Hermione. She pulled out the pocket watch from her robe and gave it to the older Ravenclaw girl. _"Thanks for letting me borrow it."_

" _No problem. Except for the sorting, I don't think I will use it so much this year. After a year at Hogwarts, you get used to not relying on a clock all the time,"_ said Cho.

The rest of the breakfast went as usual, but Hermione couldn't resist looking over to the Slytherin table. She saw the Greengrass girl sitting next to Draco. They talked to each other a few times, and it seemed like they could be friends. It could be a significant issue later when they should contact Daphne. Because in her heart, Hermione knew it was unavoidable.

When the bell struck, Hermione and Luna left the Great Hall and headed for today's first class which was Defence Against the Dark Creatures. A subject which was new for the year and one they had hired Charlie to teach. On their way to the classroom, they found themselves only a few steps behind Padma and Parvati. The two sisters looked over their shoulders a couple of times but didn't say a word. Hermione couldn't blame them for being cautious. She was sure they had a lot of questions to ask.

" _You look rather knackered this morning?"_ said Ron when he and Harry suddenly were next to the girls. _"Have you been studying all night again?"_

Hermione stared at the two boys, but mostly Harry. She remembered what Ron told her yesterday about the conflict between Harry's family and Malfoy's. Even so, she couldn't deny being curious if the rumours about the boy were somewhat accurate. They considered his mother to be one of the greatest Auror in the history. And if there was one thing Hermione knew about the magical world, it was that children of great witches and wizards often received excellent training. The best example for this was Luna, who already was fantastic with magical creatures and potions. Skills the blonde girl had learned from her mother.

" _No, I haven't. Besides, it's not your problem if I'm tired,"_ answered Hermione. He hoped that Ron would be satisfied with that answer and not ask again. The boy knew the girls enough to know when something wasn't as it should be. _"Harry, I do not see Dudley with you?"_

" _He's with Neville,"_ answered Harry.

" _Yeah, Dudley and Neville has a lot in common and seem to go well together,"_ said Ron. _"At least it gives Harry some freedom without having Dudley breathing down his neck all the time."_

" _Harry, I know all this about magic can be a bit overwhelming for a Muggle,"_ said Hermione. _"But your cousin seems a bit more nervous about it than others?"_

" _Blame his parents,"_ answered Harry. _"They loathed everything about magic for several years, making it look like the devil's work for Dudley. Then suddenly, they found out that Dudley also had magical abilities. They refuse to accept it in the beginning, but after a couple of visits from my mother, they had no choice. If he hadn't begun at Hogwarts, his family would have been put under surveillance from the Ministry of Magic the remainder of his life."_

" _Can't the Ministry use magic to block his abilities? I read somewhere that it's possible,"_ said Hermione.

" _Yes, they can do that. But the side effects of this magic is dangerous, so they avoid it unless they have no other option,"_ answered Harry.

" _What side effects?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Mostly damaging the brain of the person,"_ said Harry. _"You would still be alive, but more like a breathing vegetable than a person. Last time they used it was for three or four centuries ago. My mother told me it had been a dark wizard who had something she called wild magic. According to her, these people are too strong to be put in Azkaban. So they either roast their brain or execute them."_

Ron looked scared at Hermione on hearing this, but she didn't move a muscle. This treatment of people with wild magic wasn't anything new for her. Tempting as it was to ask for the name of the dark wizard, Hermione remained silent. Asking Harry that kind question now would only make him suspicious.

The small group had now reached the door to the classroom which already was open. They entered the room and saw how large it was. Most of the students from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor had already found their seats close to the blackboard, but there was still lots of empty desks left at the rear. After a quick headcount, Hermione would say that the room should be able to contain every first-year at Hogwarts. Harry and Ron picked a desk in the middle of the classroom, while the two girls selected an empty desk to the left of the boy's.

Besides the unusual size of the room, something else also stood out. The desks weren't made of wood as in the other classrooms, but what looked like smooth granite. Hermione looked over her desk and could see several marks after claws and teeth. What kind of creature could bite in solid stone? Never mind that, she didn't wish to know the answer to that question. But with Charlie as their teacher, Hermione had the feeling she would find out sooner or later. And the blonde girl sitting next to Hermione would without a doubt enjoy the experience.

" _So, I see that everyone has arrived,"_ said Charlie and walked in front of his desk. _"Some of you already know who I am, but for the rest of you, I will present myself. My name is Charles Weasley, but most only use Charlie. I graduated from Hogwarts this summer and thus doesn't have much experience outside of the school. But I've been very interested in magical creatures since I learned to read. Since then and during my seven years at Hogwarts, I've spent more time learning about this subject than anything else. Any questions so far?"_

One boy from Gryffindor raised his hand.

" _Yes, Mr Finnigan?"_

" _Do we call you Charlie or Mr Weasley?"_ asked Seamus Finnigan.

" _I'm not so formal of me, but in class, I would prefer you to use Mr Weasley. But don't worry, I will not bite your head off if you forget it now and then,"_ answered Charlie. _"Anyone else who has a question?"_

Nobody moved.

" _Okay, I will then start this class by explaining a few things first,"_ said Charlie. _"Some of you may wonder about what_ Defence _Against the Dark Creatures is about? In previous years, the education of handling dark creatures have been shared between_ Defence _Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures. This year the school's teachers decided that the topic should have its own class. Yes, Miss Brocklehurst?"_

" _Mr Weasley, why is this classroom so large?"_ asked Mandy.

" _Most classes at Hogwarts are normally shared by two houses. The reason behind this is to make it safe for the students when they are_ practising _magic. Having too many students in a class may cause the teacher to lose sight of what's happening around them. But since the theory in Care of Magical Creatures doesn't include any practical magic, it's safe to have all four houses share the class together. So on Thursday, this room will be full of students. And that's the reason why this classroom is so much larger than the others,"_ finished Charlie. _"Any more questions?"_

This time people seem to be satisfied and wished to begin the class.

" _Then let us begin,"_ said Charlie and went to the blackboard. Unlike the other teachers so far who used their wands, Charlie picked up a chalk and divided the board into three rows. He marked the first one with three X's, four on the second row and five on the last. Charlie then turned back to the class and said, _"The Ministry of Magic use five categories to determine how dangerous a creature can be. In this class, we will, for the most part, focus on the two highest, but also some of the category three creatures. Does anyone know a creature which belongs in category three?"_

Hermione looked towards Luna, expecting the blonde's hand to rise in the air, but she didn't move. Instead, it was Harry who raised his arm first.

" _Mr Potter?"_

" _Kneazle,"_ said Harry.

" _Correct,"_ said Charlie and wrote it down in the first row. _"Do you know why it's in category three?"_

" _The Kneazle is an intelligent, small cat-like creature who can be aggressive. It's not unusual for wizard and witches to have them as pets,"_ answered Harry. _"Because it's the Kneazle who has to accept their new owner, many say they are equal to wands since they also choose their new master."_

" _That's also correct. If the Kneazle doesn't like you, it's a good chance it will leave you,"_ said Charlie. _"What about a category four creature?"_

This time it was Parvati who raised her arm. _"My parents are originally from India, and they have told me about the Occamy. I believe it's a four?"_

" _That's correct, Miss Patil,"_ said Charlie and wrote it down on the blackboard. _"Anything you can tell us about it?"_

" _It's a winged serpent which is choranaptyxis, giving it the ability to shrink or grow to fit available space. It's also known to be very aggressive towards anyone, especially when it's protecting its eggs,"_ answered Parvati.

" _Yes, the shell of their eggs are made of silver. Sadly, this makes them a popular target for poachers,"_ said Charlie. _"Let's move on to category five."_

It wasn't a surprise to see almost all hands in the air now. Only Hermione, Dudley and Luna hadn't raised their hands. Which creature they all thought about was obvious.

" _Let's see who I will pick,"_ said Charlie. _"Mr Goldstein, your answer is?"_

" _Dragons, Mr Weasley,"_ answered Anthony Goldstein. _"There's nothing more dangerous than a wild Dragon."_

Charlie wrote Dragon on the blackboard and said, _"Yes, dragons belong in category five, but isn't the most dangerous of all magical creatures. That title belongs to something else. Do anyone of you know which beast I'm talking about?"_

Now the students suggested several creatures, but neither of them was correct. Hermione looked at Luna and was sure the blonde girl knew the answer, but for some reason, she wasn't interested in answering anything today. Was Luna following their parents' advice about not attracting too much attention towards themselves? She had been brilliant in their Potion class, so perhaps she had decided to hold back in her most favourite subject? It was the most logical answer, but it didn't feel right for Hermione. Magical creatures were the one thing Luna loved almost as much as her family and friends. There was no way Hermione could sit and watch her best friend feeling unhappy for the next seven years in this classroom because she didn't want to stand out. Maybe if Hermione could remember the right creature, it could show Luna that it was okay for her to enjoy this class also?

" _There are many good answers here, but none of them is correct. The creature I'm thinking about is…"_ began Charlie to say, but stopped when a hand jumped into the air. _"Miss Granger?"_ Everyone turned their heads towards the brunette, including Luna.

" _The gigantic, East African Nundu is considered to be the most dangerous in the world. It breath can cause a virulent disease which could kill an entire village. It's so strong that you would need at least a hundred or more skilled wizards or witches to subdue one,"_ answered Hermione.

" _You're absolutely correct, Miss Granger,"_ said Charlie. _"A Nundu may not look as impressive as a dragon, but sometimes the most dangerous creatures isn't always the largest."_

" _Mr Weasley, has anyone ever tamed a Nundu?"_ asked Lisa Turpin.

" _To my knowledge, no. As Miss Granger explained, you would need a hundred or more people even to subdue one,"_ answered Charlie.

" _Didn't Newt Scamander tame one?"_ said Dean Thomas.

" _No,"_ said Luna. _"Scamander earned the trust of that Nundu. He didn't tame it."_

" _Are you sure about this?"_ asked Dean.

Luna nodded. _"My mother worked with magical creatures before I was born and met Newt Scamander a couple of times. He was always respectful of the creatures he looked after. Pretty much all of them was there of free will because they trusted him."_

" _Have you met him?"_ asked Anthony.

" _No. Although he's retired today, Scamander is still travelling the world to study magical creatures. So when my mother had time to visit him, he was on a journey somewhere. And when I got older and started my home education, it became even more difficult to find the right moment, so we haven't tried for the last few years."_

This was some surprisingly new information for Hermione. Not that Luna's mother had studied magical creatures, but that she and Newt Scamander knew each other. It made Hermione wonder how many more 'secrets' Luna had? It was an unfair thought to have considering how close the two girls were, but Hermione couldn't deny the logic of thinking like this.

When the class was over, and they had filled the blackboard with more creatures, Hermione made sure to take her time and let the other students leave the classroom first. When only she and Luna was left and heading for the door, Hermione asked her friend, _"I'm surprised you didn't say more during the class. Magical creatures are after all your greatest passion."_

" _Would it be fair if I did?"_ answered Luna. _"After all, there was nothing new for me in today's class. So I let the others answer instead."_

" _Is that something your mother taught you?"_ asked Hermione.

Luna nodded with a smile. _"She told me that the best way to learn something is to ask a question, but only when you don't know the answer. My mother also told me that no one likes a know-it-all."_

" _Oh!"_ said Hermione. She knew very well about someone who could be called know-it-all.

" _Don't worry,"_ whispered Luna into Hermione's ear as they passed through the door. _"I'm sure someone will still do it well even if they don't raise their arm on every question."_

Out in the corridor, Hermione halted. She had just realised why Luna said this to her. Was this the blonde girl's way of protecting Hermione? Using her better skills in understanding people to tell Hermione that sometimes the best answer is not to answer? A very illogical and difficult mindset for Hermione to follow, but it could work. Before they came to Hogwarts, Hermione believed Luna was the only one who would need to change. It became clear to the brunette that she had been wrong. There were certain things Hermione should change about herself. She just hadn't seen them because Hermione somehow was blind to her own faults at times.

It didn't take long for the students to reach their next destination as it was only a short distance down the hallway. While they waited for the door to open, Hermione leaned against the wall while keeping an eye on Luna. After their 'adventure' this morning, it seemed like the blonde girl had changed her behaviour. Where she before didn't want to adapt to fit in with the other students, Luna's attitude was now different. Was it their experience with Quirrell and Filch who had forced this change? Had a reality check on how dangerous their time at Hogwarts actually could become been what Luna had needed? Hermione groaned over having another question without an answer on her mind. It had become too many of them lately.

Hermione then noticed something else about Luna. The blonde girl seemed to stare in the same direction several times while they were waiting. Unless Hermione's sense of direction was off, she could swear Luna was staring towards the part of the castle where the missing door was. A problem which Hermione didn't have any solution too yet. Charlie hadn't told them his version of the story and the Grey Lady was still missing. Before she got the chance to consider where else she could find the needed information, the door into the classroom was open by Andromeda Tonks.

" _Welcome. Please find your seats,"_ said Andromeda. The tall woman with a long, light brown hair and brown eyes smiled at every student as they passed her. Her mediaeval dress gown in deep purple and light ochre made Andromeda almost look like a royal.

The two girls found an empty desk at the back of the room and sat down. Harry and Ron chose the desk to their right, while the Patil sisters picked the left one.

" _Welcome to the class of Magical Theory,"_ said Andromeda. _"In my class, we will discuss how magic works. Everything from spells, potions and more unfamiliar types of magic. It's a subject where some would ask themselves, why? Why would we need to know how a spell works? Is there anyone who would like to tell me the answer?"_

Nobody responded at first, but then Harry's arm was in the air.

" _Mr Potter?"_ said Andromeda.

" _My mother has given me some basic teaching around magical theory,"_ answered Harry. _"Because of her job as Auror, she often encounters new magic almost every week. It's thus important for her to deconstruct this magic to understand what they are up against. All magic is build up like a puzzle. The number of pieces can differ, but knowing how the pieces fit together, even at a basic level, will make your magical performance much better."_

" _A good answer, Mr Potter,"_ said Andromeda. _"But I think we need to begin with a much simpler explanation. I can see that many of you are wondering what Mr Potter said right now."_ She pointed her wand towards the blackboard, and the sentence 'Words are important' wrote itself in the middle. _"Every spell has one or more words associated with them. It doesn't matter if you say the word out loud or you are using it non-verbal. It has to be said as it's the trigger of the spell. Waving around with your wand alone won't do anything."_ She pointed towards the blackboard for a second time and 'Pronunciation is important' appeared below the first sentence. _"However, the correct word is not going to do anything without the right pronunciation. Most words are build up by parts. You have to add stress to the right part, or it will fail. Saying the word too fast or too slow will also result in a failure. Remember that your magic is always listening to everything you say. Any questions?"_

None of the students raised their hands as they were too busy writing down what Andromeda had said.

" _In the following year, this is only a couple of the things we will learn. By the time we finished this year, you should be able to_ _explain the basic principles_ _on how a spell works. And if we find the time, we will learn how to enhance existing magic,"_ said Andromeda.

The next two hours Andromeda explained more pieces of the puzzle called magic and the time passed in a flash. At lunchtime, each of the students had written several parchments of information given by the professor. Even Hermione was surprised over how much she hadn't known beforehand. She had read a few books on magical theory last year, but Andromeda Tonks had been far more thorough than any of these books.

Hermione gulped her lunch down as she needed a trip to the tower before the classes started again. Ravenclaw had Care of Magical Creatures at the end of the day with Hufflepuff, and they would be having the class outside the castle. Today's weather was misty with some light rain, so Hermione wanted to get her cloak to stay warm and dry. On her way back to the Great Hall after picking up the cloak, Hermione came around a corner and spotted someone in the corridor she had entered. When Hermione saw who it was, she hides quickly behind a suit of armour by the wall. She then peered out and stared at Luna who stood further down the hallway. It didn't seem as she had seen Hermione.

The blonde girl stared at the wall for several minutes before she ran down the corridor, away from Hermione. When Luna was gone, Hermione stepped out from her hiding place and walked over to where the blonde girl had stood. She couldn't prove it, but Hermione was sure the missing door had something to do with Luna's change. Hermione slammed her palm into the wall in frustration. She felt so helpless and had no idea what to do. After cursing the wall and the castle a few times, Hermione knew she could at least do one thing for the other girl and headed back to the tower again.

In the following double class with Charm, Hermione did her best to follow Luna's 'advice'. But as Charm was one subject Hermione had been looking forward to the most, it was difficult not raising her hand on every opportunity she got. Hermione hoped it would be easier with time, but at the moment it didn't look promising considering how much she itched to answer something.

When the first-years left the classroom, the two houses split up as they were heading to different sides of the castle for their last class. Ravenclaw had been told to meet near the Quidditch field which meant they didn't have much time in getting there. When the students walked out through the school's west gate and into the now pouring rain, Luna stopped inside the entrance and looked up into the sky.

" _It seems like I've forgotten my cloak,"_ said Luna. _"And I don't have time to go back for it."_

" _I know,"_ said Hermione and pulled a second cloak out from her bag. _"After I had got my cloak, I remembered that you didn't take yours with you today."_ She handed the cloak over to the other girl. _"So I went back for yours as well. I would be a horrible friend otherwise if I didn't."_

With one of her sweetest smile, Luna put on her cloak and said, _"Thanks."_

 **XXXXXXX**

" _For our first Care of Magical Creatures class, we're going to have a look at Flobberworms,"_ said Charlie when they all stood next to the Quidditch field. He pointed towards the rain ditches which surrounded the arena. _"They can grow to become around 10 inches long, and their_ favourite _habitat is damp ditches. You shouldn't have a problem finding some if you look under the leaves."_

" _Flobberworms? Seriously?"_ said Ernest Macmillan.

" _I know it's not the most exciting thing, but you all need to start somewhere. Or did you believe we would begin with dragons?"_ answered Charlie with a grin.

" _Not exactly, but at least something else than…boring Flobberworms,"_ said Ernest.

" _Mr Macmillan, not every student at Hogwarts have your experience with magical creatures. So even if the Flobberworms isn't fun for you, they can be someone else first meeting with a magical creature,"_ replied Charlie.

" _Sorry,"_ said Ernest and started looking among the leaves.

" _Don't worry. We will soon enough move to a lot more interesting creatures,"_ said Charlie.

The class continued without any more complaints about how boring the Flobberworms were. Most of the students worked in groups of four in their search for the creatures. Without her sister around had Padma joined Hermione and Luna, while a girl from Hufflepuff became the fourth member of their group. Susan Bones' long, red hair made Hermione think of Ginny. Hermione was already missing the Weasley girl. Perhaps if she had been here now, they could have had an easier time to sort out some of the problems. Maybe Hermione should write a letter and have an Owl deliver it? Tempting, but it was too dangerous. The chance someone would intercept the letter was tiny, but even that was too much of a risk to take.

" _There is one. Do you see it?"_ said Susan and pointed into the ditch. From a large pile of leaf, a medium sized Flobberworm crawled out towards the lettuce they used as bait.

" _Yes, I see it,"_ said Hermione.

" _Do we have more lettuce?"_ asked Susan.

" _Yes,"_ answered Luna. She picked up the little bag from the ground and handed it to the Hufflepuff girl.

As Susan accepted the bag, Hermione froze where she stood. For a brief second, the two girls' eyes met. The overwhelming familiar feeling she had experienced so many times now, once again returned.

" _Luna, anything wrong? You suddenly seemed so distant,"_ said Susan, oblivious of Hermione's reaction.

" _No…I thought I saw a large Flobberworm over there,"_ answered Luna and pointed further down the ditch.

" _Oh, okay,"_ said Susan and continued feeding the Flobberworm they already had found.

'Susan is also one of them?' thought Hermione. She saw Luna looking at the brunette without a word, but she didn't have to say anything for Hermione to understand. They had both felt it, just like all the other times. Now there was seven of them, which according to Dumbledore shouldn't be possible. While the other three continue to search for more Flobberworms, Hermione's thoughts worked in high gear now. After having contemplating for several minutes, she considered trying something which could be a rather stupid decision. Her brain flashed with all the warning signs it could find, but Hermione's heart ignored this. She stepped closer to Susan and asked in a very low voice, _"How long have you known about your wild magic?"_

The other three girls froze where they stood, without a word. Susan stared straight ahead with a heavy breath, while Luna and Padma looked at the brunette with confusion in their eyes. The Hufflepuff girl's reaction confirmed Hermione's suspicion, but the question had scared the girl a lot more than expected.

After nearly a minute, Luna was the first to speak. _"Hermione, what are you doing?"_ whispered Luna.

" _I no longer think it is coincidental that we feel like we do. With Susan, there are more of us than what he said it would be and…"_ said Hermione. She stopped talking for a second, thinking about how she should explain this. _"And… I have this…weird feeling that she's not the last one."_

" _Not the last one?"_ said Padma. She looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear them. _"Parvati and I were going to wait with this question until after dinner, but I have to ask now. How many of us have you two found?"_

Hermione and Luna looked at each other, exchanging a few glances before Luna turned around towards Padma. _"Susan is the fifth which means there are seven of us in total."_

" _Susan?"_ said Hermione and tried to put her hand on the girl's shoulder.

This made the girl snap out of her frozen state and hurried a couple of steps backwards. Her hands trembled, while her eyes stared with an immense fear at the other girls. _"Y-you…are wrong! I…I don't know what y-you're talking about!"_

" _What's happening here?"_ said Charlie suddenly. None of the girls had noticed his approach.

Annoyed at herself for not listening to the warning signs, Hermione wanted to slap herself for the stupidity it had caused. But before she could answer Charlie, Luna walked over to Susan.

" _Susan. You don't have to be afraid. We won't tell anyone,"_ said Luna calmly. Then she looked at Charlie and said with a smile, _"We discovered that Susan has you-know-what and Hermione choose a less subtle way of telling her."_

" _Seriously, Hermione?"_ said Charlie with a stern voice. _"You of all should know better than talking about…you-know-what so openly with others. If you're wrong now, then keeping your secret safe could be impossible."_

" _We are not wrong, Charlie,"_ answered Hermione. _"Susan is the fifth one since…and…except for one, we have been right."_

" _Except for one? Is there someone at Hogwarts you thought had…you-know-what, but didn't and now know you have it?"_ asked Charlie.

" _No. We haven't had a chance to talk with her yet,"_ said Luna.

" _Talk with her? As you did with Miss Bones?"_ Charlie sighed. He turned around and looked at the rest of the students who were unaware of what was happening. With his eyes back on the four girls, he said, _"Listen. The class is almost over now, but the four of you will stay behind after I have dismissed the others. Clear?"_

All the girls, including Susan, nodded.

" _Good,"_ said Charlie before he turned around and shouted to the others. _"Okay, it's time to end for today. For the theory class on Thursday, I want a two pages essay on the Flobberworm."_

" _Two pages? On an overgrown worm?"_ complained Ernest.

Charlie sighed again. _"Because you asked, it's three pages for you, Mr Macmillan."_

Ernest opened his mouth to say something, but when he saw Charlie standing there with crossed arms, he wisely closed it.

After having sent the students back to the castle, Charlie walked back to the four girls. He looked at Susan Bones and said, _"Miss Bones, I have to ask you this question, and I'll need a true answer. Do you have wild magic?"_

Susan wasn't able to meet Charlie's eyes but instead stared at the ground. After several seconds, she nodded a couple of times in quick succession.

" _Okay,"_ said Charlie. _"I can understand that you're scared right now, but you have no reason to be afraid. I'm not one of those who thinks you're an abomination. I have a younger sister who also has wild magic. For several years, she struggled to make any progress in her training. It's difficult for those without this kind of magic, like me, to understand what they're going through. But for a year ago, Hermione and Luna 'found out' about my sister. And although it wasn't in the most subtle way back then either, it turned out to be a blessing for my little sister."_

Susan's hands stopped trembling, and she raised her head towards Charlie. _"A blessing?"_

Charlie smiled. _"Yes. Like I said, my sister struggled, but thanks to Hermione and Luna she has made great progress in the last year. If there's someone you can trust with this at Hogwarts, it's them."_ He looked at Hermione and continued, _"But Hermione, you have to be more careful. I don't know how you find them, but…"_

" _It's their eyes,"_ interrupted Hermione.

" _Their eyes? What do you mean by that?"_ inquired Charlie.

" _I'm not sure yet, but it is the only explanation,"_ said Hermione. _"It's been like this with all of them. Each time Luna and I have looked into their eyes together the first time; it triggers a feeling of knowing them. I only understood it before I asked Susan."_

" _That's why you both looked so surprised when you saw my sister and me the first time?"_ said Padma.

" _Yes. You where the second one we experienced this with and it shocked us,"_ answered Hermione.

" _And in our first class, we felt it again,"_ said Luna.

" _With whom?"_ asked Padma.

" _A girl from Slytherin,"_ said Hermione.

" _Is that the one you haven't asked yet?"_ asked Charlie.

Hermione nodded. _"She's always surrounded by others from her house, so the opportunity hasn't been there yet. And after that, we met Padma's sister who also is like us."_

" _But how did you contact Padma and her sister about this? Miss Patil seems to take this quite calmly, so I assume she already knows?"_ asked Charlie.

" _Well, that's going to take some explanation and…"_ began Hermione to say, but was interrupted by Susan.

" _Shh, professor Snape is coming,"_ whispered Susan and nodded up to the path which led to the castle.

Everyone looked at the Head of Slytherin who now came closer before stopping only a couple of feet from the small group.

" _Professor,"_ said Charlie.

" _Mr Weasley,"_ responded Snape back. He looked at all four girls, especially Susan. Then he said, _"Miss Granger, you continue to surprise me, which isn't an easy task."_ He then turned back to Charlie. _"The headmaster sent me to find you. He wishes to talk with you."_

" _Do you know about what?"_ asked Charlie.

" _No. I didn't ask, but I wouldn't delay too much. I'll take care of the girls for now."_

" _Maybe I should do it instead? They are…"_

" _It's okay, Charlie,"_ interrupted Hermione. _"He knows."_

" _He does?"_ said Charlie.

" _Indeed I do. The Headmaster is waiting,"_ said Snape.

" _Fine. I'll go. Just remember the essay for Thursday,"_ said Charlie before walking back to the school.

When Snape was alone with the girls, he looked at them for a moment before he said, _"We're only on the second day, and you have already found several of the others, Miss Granger."_

" _Y-you knew about me?"_ asked Susan.

" _I knew about all of you. Dumbledore has informed several of the teachers about every one of you. However, I don't think anyone expected you to find each other this quickly,"_ answered Snape.

" _Professor, why did you let us go this morning?"_ asked Hermione.

" _I had my reasons, which isn't something you should think so much about,"_ said Snape. _"But I don't see any reason to wait any longer. Go to the Great Hall for some dinner. Then at six o'clock tonight you all will come to my classroom. Miss Patil, make sure your sister is also coming."_ Before anyone had the chance to ask or protest was Snape already on his way back to Hogwarts.

" _I guess our meeting after dinner is_ cancelled _?"_ asked Padma.

" _At least for now. When Snape tells you to meet on time, you do as he says,"_ answered Hermione.

 **XXXXXXX**

About ten minutes before six o'clock, the group of five girls reached the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Hermione, Luna, Susan and the two Patil sisters stopped right outside the door.

" _I don't like this,"_ said Susan.

" _Neither do I, but I don't think we can say no,"_ said Parvati.

" _Shall we knock or wait for Snape to come?"_ asked Padma. She had barely said these words before the door opened.

" _You're early. Good,"_ said Snape. He stepped aside and let the girls enter the classroom.

Inside, they could see that someone else already was sitting there — three girls from Slytherin who turned their heads and looked surprised at the newcomers. Hermione and Luna recognise one of them right away. It was Daphne Greengrass. The other two was identical twins with shoulder-long, brown hair and blue-grey eyes.

" _Find a desk near the blackboard,"_ said Snape as he cast several protection Charms at the door. Hermione and Luna sat down on the middle desk, while the Patil sisters choose the one right behind the other two. Susan Bones reluctantly sat down on the empty seat next to Daphne Greengrass. The twins sat at the desk on the far left, close to the windows.

When Snape returned to his desk, he studied the eight girls who sat in front of him. " _This meeting between you all wasn't supposed to happen for at least two more months. But recent events have made it necessary to hasten things ahead of schedule."_

" _What events, professor,"_ asked Daphne.

Snape walked over to Hermione and Luna while giving a scrutinising stare. " _Apparently, it seems like Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood have the ability to find you."_

The three Slytherin girls gasped when they heard this.

" _We're only at the end of the second day, and these two girls have found three of you already,"_ continued Snape.

" _Actually, we have found four,"_ said Luna. _"We discovered Daphne in our first class."_

" _How?"_ asked Daphne.

Hermione did once again explain how they had discovered the other girls.

" _Interesting,"_ said Snape. _"I've heard stories about this, but when I looked into them, they proved to be false. Separating the truth from the lies is a common problem when it comes to finding information about our kind of magic. Over the years there has only been a handful of people who have made an honest attempt to research this subject. It has given numerous charlatans a chance to drag our magic further down into the mud."_

" _I read a book by Leonard Craven last year. He claimed to have spoken with witches and wizards who told Craven about this feeling of knowing others. Was this a lie?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Never heard of this Leonard Craven. Do you still have the book?"_ asked Snape.

" _Yes, it's in my trunk at the dormitory,"_ answered Hermione.

" _I would like to read it,"_ said Snape.

" _Shall I get it now?"_ asked Hermione.

" _No. Take it with you to the class tomorrow. It will be soon enough,"_ said Snape. _"Let us return to the reason why I called you here, and that's to prevent any mishaps the next time Miss Granger tries to contact any of you. Mishaps which will cause attention, something neither of you wishes to have. I decided thus to introduce all of you now rather than later."_

" _Does professor Dumbledore know?"_ asked one of the Slytherin twins.

" _No, Miss Carrow,"_ said Snape. _"As I told during the meeting with you and your sister, I don't agree with the Headmaster on every decision he makes about your case. I will, however, tell him about this later tonight when it's too late for him to prevent this meeting."_

" _You're taking a big risk, professor,"_ said Daphne. _"He is Dumbledore after all."_

" _It's not the first time I've gone against his orders. He won't like it of course, but there's nothing he can do to change it afterwards,"_ answered Snape. _"Now I want you all to introduce yourself to the others. Let us start with my own house, then Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and finally, Ravenclaw."_ He nodded towards the Slytherin twins.

The first of them stood up and said, _"Flora Carrow."_

" _Hestia Carrow,"_ said the other one.

" _Daphne Greengrass,"_ said the third Slytherin girl.

" _Parvati Patil."_

" _Susan Bones."_

" _Padma Patil."_

" _Luna Lovegood."_

" _Hermione Jean Granger."_

" _All of you are currently the only students at Hogwarts with wild magic,"_ said Snape right after the introduction was over. _"As you may have noticed, there are eight of you — more than what Dumbledore has claimed to be possible. Sadly, I don't know the reason for this. Not that it matters much for me when I'll be training you later this year. However, what is important are how all of you will handle the relationships between each other in the coming time."_

" _Relationship between each other?"_ asked Susan. _"Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against any of you, but why is it so important that we have a relationship between us?"_

" _Because we're all in the same boat,"_ said Hermione. _"Anything which is threatening one of us will also threaten everyone else."_

" _Hermione, what do you mean by that?"_ asked Padma.

Before Hermione got a chance to answer, Snape did it for her. _"Miss Granger is correct. If someone suspects any of you, or even worse, get caught, the Ministry of Magic could begin an investigation at the school. I'm sure you all understand how bad that would be?"_

They didn't have to say anything as the answer was written all over their faces.

" _Professor, do you have any advice to us about how we shall solve this?"_ asked Daphne.

" _No,"_ responded Snape. _"But I will say this: Your loyalty has to be to each other, not your house. Forget about Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. You will only survive the next seven years if you look out for each other."_

" _That can be a problem,"_ said Parvati. _"Some of the houses, especially Gryffindor and Slytherin, aren't exactly best friends. If I'm being seen walking around in company with some Slytherin, the others may not like it."_

" _Living with wild magic has never been easy. Do what you must to survive, but do not forget to watch each other's back,"_ said Snape. _"That was all I had to tell you today. The meeting is over."_ He turned around, walked into his half-dark office and closed the door behind him. Then he went to his desk, sat down and started looking over the essays from an earlier class. Without looking up, he said, _"You heard everything?"_

" _Yes,"_ said a male voice from a dark corner.

" _I have done as you asked, but are you sure this will work?"_ said Snape.

" _I can't say for sure. It all depends on how much they remember. Especially Hermione."_

" _And if she doesn't?"_

" _Then they will fail."_

Snape sighed and put down his quill. _"That's not an option. It's the last chance they will have."_

" _And we know who's fault that is?"_

" _Dumbledore isn't him."_

" _Perhaps not, but we both know Dumbledore has been reckless in his choice of actions."_

" _What about Maya? You told me she wasn't happy with Dumbledore?"_ said Snape.

" _No, she is not. But she can't do much about it. Maya is too old and has no way of controlling Dumbledore other than complaining to him."_

" _So it's up to me to make sure the girls survive until it's time."_

An eerie laugh filled the room. _"As you told them: Living with wild magic isn't easy."_

With a shook on his head, Snape continued to look over the essays. He knew there wasn't any reason to look after the other person as he already was gone.

 **XXXXXXX**

" _Are you sure we should trust them?"_ asked Parvati.

" _You heard Snape. We can't let our loyalty to our houses get in the way,"_ said Hermione.

" _They are Slytherin."_

" _I'm fully aware of that, Susan,"_ answered Hermione.

After their meeting with Snape had all the girls walked out into the corridor and for a moment, just looked at each other. Despite Snape's words, the distrust between the houses was still visible. So Daphne had asked for a private talk with her fellow Slytherin and stepped away from the other girls. Now, they stood further down the corridor and discussed something which the others couldn't hear.

" _Susan, what about you?"_ asked Padma. _"I know my sister and I will stay with Hermione and Luna. After all, if it hadn't been for them, we could already have been caught or worse."_

" _I haven't been thinking so much on it yet, but I think I'll stay as well. My aunt Amelia has done a lot to protect my family and me over the years, but she has no authority here at Hogwarts when it comes to this,"_ said Susan. She looked at the other girls and continued, _"I'm not stupid. I know I will need allies at the school, so I'm staying if you want to have me?"_

" _Of course we will have you,"_ said Luna with a smile and hugged Susan.

" _Yes, I agree with Luna,"_ said Hermione and looked over to the Slytherin girls. _"I only hope they also_ realise _that they can't stand alone."_

" _We will soon find out. Here they come,"_ said Parvati.

The three girls from Slytherin came walking towards the others and stopped in front of Hermione.

" _We're still unsure on how wise this is, but we will follow Snape's advice for now,"_ said Daphne. _"Slytherin isn't a house which mixes well with the others, but you are right. It doesn't matter if we like it or not; we need to rely on each other."_ She looked at Parvati and asked, _"Unless you have a problem with staying around some Slytherins?"_

" _Personally, no. But I will for sure hear it from the others in Gryffindor,"_ answered Parvati.

" _Yeah, it's going to be the same for us within our own house,"_ said Daphne.

" _So, where should we start?"_ asked Susan.

" _I don't know unless Hermione has an idea?"_ said Daphne.

" _Me?"_ said a surprised Hermione.

" _Yes, you,"_ replied Daphne. _"Someone has to lead us, and I think you're the right one for that job."_

" _Why me?"_

Daphne grinned. _"I know how you stood up against Draco Malfoy on the train. Since he came to Hogwarts, he has several times complained about this Muggle who had humiliated him."_

" _And you don't have a problem with me being a Muggle?"_ said Hermione.

" _To be honest, I've been raised in the belief that Muggles is weak and not worthy of having magic,"_ answered Daphne embarrassed. _"But after what you did to Draco, I'm conflicted about what I should believe now. Draco's family is one of the oldest in our world, just like my own and the Carrows,"_ she said and looked at the Slytherin twins _. "Even so, you already have proved to be stronger than he. I could have said that…'it' is the reason, but I don't think so. You used a difficult spell perfectly on the train."_

" _How do you know what I used?"_ asked Hermione.

" _I was in the compartment next to yours. When Draco and Harry began their shouting match, I looked out and saw everything,"_ said Daphne.

" _Wait,"_ said Padma and pointed towards Hermione. _"I heard the story about what happened at the train, but didn't know it was you."_

" _Yes, I think most of the school have heard that story now,"_ said Susan.

" _Padma, who told you that story?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Marietta did during the lunch yesterday,"_ answered Padma.

" _Great,"_ murmured Hermione. She should have guessed it was the Edgecombe girl's big mouth who had spread the story around the school. How could Luna expect Hermione to become friends with this girl? _"Fine, I'll lead, unless some of you object?"_

" _I don't mind,"_ said Padma.

The remaining girls agreed as well.

" _I think you will make a great leader,"_ said Luna smiling.

" _So, I'll ask again. Where shall we begin?"_ said Susan.

" _I'm not sure,"_ said Hermione. _"The plans I had for tonight was to try finding the Grey Lady."_

" _Ravenclaws house ghost?"_ said Daphne. _"Why do you need to find her? Isn't she in the tower?"_

" _No, she's missing,"_ said Luna.

" _Helena Ravenclaw is missing?"_ said Padma.

Hermione nodded. _"Nobody has seen her since before the sorting."_

" _Strange. How can a ghost disappear like that and…"_ said Padma, but stopped while staring at her sister. _"Okay, my dear sister. Out with it!"_

" _Out with what?"_ replied a shocked Parvati. _"I have no idea what you're talking about."_

" _Don't lie to me. We both know you're an awful liar,"_ snarled Padma. _"Your eyes betrayed you."_

" _I don't have any…"_ started Parvati to say, but was interrupted when her sister grabbed Parvati's shirt and pulled her closer.

" _You know something about where the Grey Lady is, don't you?"_ said Padma.

" _Okay, okay. Yes, I know where she is, but I can't tell you,"_ nearly shouted Parvati.

" _And why not?"_ asked Padma.

" _Because I promised not to tell anyone,"_ replied Parvati.

" _Then you have a problem. Before we came to Hogwarts, we promised each other not to have any secrets. So you're going to need to make a choice on which promise to keep or not,"_ said Padma. She didn't seem happy with her sister.

Finally, it seemed like Parvati had made her choice. She let out a huge sigh and said, _"The Grey Lady is in the girls' lavatory on the second floor."_

" _Second floor? Isn't that abandoned?"_ asked Padma and released the grip on her sister.

Parvati nodded.

" _Some of the older Slytherins talked about that lavatory this morning,"_ said Daphne. _"They mention it's haunted by a rather annoying ghost."_

" _It's Moaning Myrtle. Nobody wishes to use that bathroom because of her. Even the other ghosts avoid her when they can,"_ said Parvati.

" _How did you discover that the Grey Lady was there?"_ asked Susan.

" _I was bored last night. Padma was with some other Ravenclaws, and Lavender tried to get close to this Weasley boy in our house,"_ said Parvati.

" _Weasley boy? Do you mean Ron Weasley?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Yes. Do you know him?"_ asked Parvati back.

" _He's Charlie Weasleys younger brother. As he said earlier today, Luna and I have known their family since last year,"_ answered Hermione.

" _Guess I should warn Lavender then. Never a good idea to mix with a teacher's family at school,"_ said Parvati.

" _I believe Lavender should be safe. Charlie rarely intervenes in his sibling's affairs, unless it puts them at some risk,"_ said Luna.

" _We can talk about Lavender's lovesickness later,"_ said Padma. _"Parvati, the Grey Lady."_

" _Right, I decided to explore the school for a bit, and since I also had heard stories about the old bathroom, I went there first,"_ continued Parvati her explanation. _"When I came down there, I opened the door slightly and peered inside. The Grey Lady stood only…eh, hovered a couple of feet away from me."_

" _She was expecting you?"_ asked Hermione.

" _No, she stood with her back to me. But the Grey Lady discovered me only a second later,"_ said Parvati.

" _Strange you didn't run away,"_ said Padma.

" _I wasn't sure what to do until she asked me to step inside,"_ answered Parvati. _"Since she is one of the house ghosts, I did as she asked. That's when she made me promise not to reveal where she was."_

" _Did the Grey Lady tell you why she was hiding?"_ asked Hermione.

Parvati shook her head. _"I just wanted to get out of there and thus didn't think of asking her anything. Wasn't even aware she was missing until you said so,"_ said Parvati.

" _Few of the first-years know. Luna and I only found out because we overheard the Ravenclaw Prefects,"_ said Hermione.

" _Can I ask why you need to find the Grey Lady?"_ asked one of the Carrow twins.

" _Because Hermione is worried about me,"_ answered Luna.

Before the others got the chance to ask any more questions, Hermione began explaining everything about the missing door they knew so far. _"Charlie knows an old story about this door, but according to Professor Binns, Helena Ravenclaw would be able to tell us the true story. But we need to find her first. I can understand if this doesn't seem interesting for any of you, so…"_

" _I will come,"_ interrupted Daphne.

" _You will?"_ asked Hermione.

Daphne nodded. _"Yes, it's an opportunity to learn about one of the school's secrets. Besides, if we're going to stay loyal to each other, we should do so even in cases like this. My parents taught me that small problems could become huge and unsolvable if I don't sort them out early."_

This whole situation was bizarre for Hermione. Yesterday, she had believed it would only be herself and Luna with some support from the Weasleys. But now there were eight of them. And although the girls had only known each other for a very short time, Hermione knew in her heart that she could trust them. If only her logic could agree as well.

" _Okay, since that is sorted out, maybe my sister should lead the way since she knows where it is?"_ said Padma.

" _Why do I always end up in these situations?"_ muttered Parvati and let out a huge sigh. She began walking down the corridor with the others following her.

" _That's something I also have been wondering about,"_ replied Padma who followed behind her sister.

Several minutes later, the group of girls arrived at the Grand Staircase and went up to the second floor. Hermione had only passed these stairs on her way too and from the Great Hall but never walked up them. Mostly because of the rumours that the stairs had a knack for choosing the wrong moment to change their position, abandoning the students on the wrong side and thus giving them an unwanted detour. So she and Luna had avoided them so far.

They left the Grand Staircase and followed an empty corridor. A few minutes later, Parvati stopped in front of a door. She looked at the others and whispered, _"Two things before we enter. One; It's not a pleasant room. It hasn't been maintained for a long time, so most stuff is broken and the smell is a bit strong. And two; I can't guarantee she will be there now. She could have moved since I talked with her. So don't bite off my head if she isn't here now, okay?"_

Hermione nodded as approval.

Parvati slowly opened the door and looked inside. She then waved the others closer and pointed towards someone in the room.

For the first time could Hermione see the Grey Lady where she sat on an old chair, 5-6 feet inside the bathroom. She was a beautiful young lady, with waist-length hair and a cloak going all the way down to the floor. Helena was reading a book, but it didn't take long before she noticed the group of girls staring at her.

" _Ye gave me a promise, young Ravenclaw,"_ said Helena and left the chair.

" _Sorry, but my sister and I gave each other a promise before we came to Hogwarts. And with all respect for you, but I couldn't lie to my sister,"_ said Parvati when everyone had entered the bathroom, closing the door behind them.

" _Ah guess ye couldn't,"_ answered Helena and stared with a stern face at each of the girls. _"But all of ye can't be 'er sister, so what's ye doing here?"_

Hermione didn't answer right away but instead looked around. Parvati hadn't exaggerated how worn and broken the bathroom was. Cracked toilets and mirrors, missing cranes and crushed sinks. The floor had signs of having been flooded more than once, and then it was the smell. A mixture of moisture, rotting materials and something she couldn't describe. All this tickled Hermione's nose, almost on the verge to make her throw up.

" _I told you it smelled terrible in here,"_ whispered Parvati.

" _No, only one of us is Parvati's sister,"_ said Hermione, stepping forward towards Helena. _"You know people are looking for you?"_

" _Aye, ah heard,"_ answered Helena.

" _Why are you hiding?"_ asked Hermione.

Helena observed the young Ravenclaw girl for a moment, then replied, _"Who said I'm hidin'? Maybe they aren't good at finding those their lookin' fur?"_

It was evident that continuing asking about this topic was pointless, so Hermione went straight to the main question. _"In the main corridor, halfway between the Ravenclaw tower and the Great Hall, there was once a door there. Someone told Charlie Weasley an old story about this door. I've not heard it myself yet, but it doesn't matter. The version he knows has likely been altered over the years as it went from one person to the next. But Professor Binns claims you know the true version of the story. Is that true?"_

" _Nae!"_ said Helena swiftly and was about to disappear through the wall.

" _You are lying!"_ said Hermione while the floor shook a little.

" _What was that?"_ asked Daphne.

" _Another earthquake?"_ said Padma.

Helena stopped without turning around. _"An' why would Ah do that?"_

" _I think you're scared of something,"_ answered Hermione.

The Grey Lady turned around and floated closer to Hermione. Helena bent down and said, _"Maybe Ah am, but even if Ah wasn't, why should Ah tell ye thes story?"_

" _Because she is afraid of what's happening to me,"_ said Luna as she grabbed one of Hermione's hands and squeezed it. _"Don't look so surprised, Hermione. I know you saw me in the corridor earlier today."_ She then looked at Helena. _"After the sorting, when we walked from the Great Hall, I could see the door as we passed by. I sensed something from the other side. Something very…unpleasant. I went back to the corridor during dinner because I wanted to see if I could feel it again. I didn't. But I can't forget the feeling I had. If you would tell us your version of the story, perhaps I could find some peace on my mind?"_

Helena Ravenclaw stood there, studying the blonde girl. Helena's stern face then seemed to soften a bit. _"Down the corridor outside, the second door to the left, there is a classroom which isn't used much. Go there an' I'll come an' tell the story fur ye all. Myrtle will be back soon an' Ah don't wish to have 'er complaining interrupt me."_

" _Thank you, Miss Ravenclaw,"_ said Luna.

" _Ye will regret thankin' me when I'm finished. There's nothing to be happy about when it comes to that door,"_ said Helena and vanished through the wall.

The girls wasted no time. After making sure the corridor outside was empty, they exited the bathroom and hastened down to the door further down the hallway. It was unlocked, and they entered the classroom. It was smaller than most with desks suited for single students, while the wide teacher's desk stood in front of a blackboard. Hermione recognised the content written on it.

" _Ye seem to know thes?"_ asked Helena who had entered a room without the brunette noticing.

" _Yes, this is equations used in Arithmancy, a subject I'm looking forward to learn,"_ answered Hermione. _"But these equations look more advanced than those in the book I have."_

" _Professor Septima Vector, she who teach Hogwarts students in Arithmancy, has three different classes with this subject,"_ said Helena and floated up to the blackboard. _"Besides the normal Arithmancy classes an' the Advanced Arithmancy studies, she also has begun givin' Ancient Arithmancy classes thes year."_

" _What's the difference between that and the ordinary Arithmancy?"_ asked one of the Carrow twins.

" _Normal Arithmancy is mostly about predictin' the future usin' numbers, while Ancient Arithmancy is understandin' the past with numbers,"_ replied Helena.

" _Wasn't even aware you could do that,"_ said Padma.

" _It's old magic, somethin' few understand these days. In mah time at Hogwarts, we had several subjects which aren't taught any longer fur several reasons,"_ said Elena and sat down in the teacher's chair. _"Now, sit down an' I'll start tellin'."_

The girls found the desks closest to the Grey Lady and sat down.

" _It began fur almost a millennium ago when the only signs of Hogwarts were its foundations,"_ started Helena to explain. _"One afternoon, mah mammy was called to the built site…_

 **XXXXXXX**

 **Building sites of Hogwarts, Late afternoon, Unknown date, 989.**

Only a small crack in the air from her Apparition announced that Rowena Ravenclaw had arrived. The tall, beautiful woman pulled the blue cloak around her and moved carefully among the constructions material which filled the area. Her long, black hair moved on her back like the waves on the nearby lake. Then Rowena's dark eyes spotted what she was looking after. A large, muscular man in a red and golden robe standing near the eastern ravine. The man's red hair and beard waved in the wind when he was looking out over the Great Lake.

" _The lake is beautiful when the wind blows, don't you think?"_ said Godric Gryffindor when Rowena stood next to him.

" _Aye, but the view of the loch wasn't the reason fur ye asking me to come,"_ answered Rowena.

" _No, you're right. Sadly it's for something less pleasant,"_ said Godric.

" _Where are the workers?"_ asked Rowena.

" _I sent them home. They won't be back for three days,"_ replied Godric. He walked closer to a large thicket on the ground.

" _What about Salazar an' Helga? Ye haven't summoned them I see?"_

" _Helga is somewhere in Ireland, looking for rare plants as usual. And Salazar? I don't know where that man is,"_ said Godric. He lifted away the large thicket, revealing a huge pile of stone. _"Probably on one of his 'expeditions' again."_

Rowena went closer to the stone pile and studied them. She immediately spotted something unusual. _"These aren't ordinary stones, are they?"_

" _No. Some of the workers were preparing the area this morning when they found them. They had begun removing this thicket when one of them started to feel dizzy,"_ said Godric and threw aside the last part of the scrub, revealing the sheer size of the pile. Nearly 8 feet in diameter and 2 feet tall. _"While they nursed the sick man, a few others started to feel the same dizziness. That's when the foreman stopped all work in the area and sent a message to me. I came here at once and inspected the area. After finding this pile of stone and studied them, I sent the workers home."_

" _Do ye know why the workers got si_ _ck?"_ asked Rowena and levitated one of the stones with her wand. If these stones had made a worker sick, she wouldn't risk touching them.

" _Not sure, but I can guess."_

Rowena turned the stone around in front of her. It had clear signs that it once had belonged to a building, but it also had some strange markings on several of its sides. _"An' what would ye guess?"_

" _Magic,"_ answered Godric. _"A very strong one too."_

" _Rubbish,"_ said Rowena. _"Thes whole area has strong magic. That is why we're building the school here. Besides, all the workers are wizards an' should be used to magic."_

" _Not this kind of magic,"_ said Godric and pointed at the stone pile.

" _Thes kin'? What are ye talkin' about?"_ asked Rowena.

" _Take a closer look on these markings."_

Rowena did as she was told. She moved the stone closer to her eyes and could see what Godric meant. The markings were shaped like wavy lines in several directions, but at the bottom of the lines, Rowena could see a bright, green colour. _"Is that what Ah think it is?"_

" _I'm afraid it is,"_ replied Godric.

" _But nobody has seen it fur several centuries. It can't be that old?"_ said Rowena and looked at a new stone. It had the same markings as the first. The same with the third and fourth. After studying another dozen stones, she sighed and looked out over the area. _"Ah don't understand. When we found thes place, we searched the area fur signs of previous buildings. An' we didn't fin' anythin' at all. Nothin'! But thes stones have once been part of a building, so why did we not fin' them before?"_

" _Maybe they didn't want to be found?"_ said Godric. _"Some of the old magic is rather strange, even for us."_

" _Magic that thinks fur themselves? Have ye been too deep into the keg again, Godric,"_ said Rowena. _"I've studied magic mah whole life an' never heard about any of it thinkin' fur themselves."_

" _I have,"_ said suddenly a voice behind the two.

Godric and Rowena turned around and saw a half bald man with a thin, long beard down his black robe coming towards them.

" _Salazar, I wasn't sure if you got my message,"_ said Godric.

" _I've been on a journey and only came home for a short time ago. I read your message and came here at once,"_ said Salazar. _"Now, Rowena. I find it strange that you don't believe in magic having their own mind. Aren't you supposed to be the most intelligent of us?"_

" _Come on now, my old friend,"_ said Godric. _"Even if all four of us put our knowledge together, there would still be things out there we don't know about. Magic has existed for a long time, and much is forgotten."_

" _And that's why I travel the world, doing what I can to find this old knowledge,"_ said Salazar. He looked at the stones, tilting his head slightly.

" _Salazar, ye said ye had heard about thinkin' magic?"_ asked Rowena.

" _Hm, heard is perhaps not the right word. More like I found a small mention about it in one of the older books I have,"_ said Salazar and like Rowena, he levitated up a stone in front of him to study it. _"Only a few lines. Written by an old witch who told about a Goddess with the power to use sentient magic."_

" _A Goddess?"_ said Rowena. _"You're jokin' with me now, aren't ye? Wait, Ah forgot ye don't have a sense of_ humour. _"_

Salazar just shook his head. He instead started to move aside several of the stones.

" _Salazar, what are you doing? We shouldn't move them until we know what they are,"_ said Godric.

" _If you haven't noticed, there is something hidden below the stones,"_ said Salazar.

Both Godric and Rowena started helping. Soon they had revealed a hole in the ground which went down at an angle. They could see some rough steps cut into the surface of the slope which went down into the darkness. Even they were heavily damaged by the same markings as on the stones.

" _That's a surprise,"_ said Godric. _"How could we miss such a thing?"_

" _Can you sense it?"_ asked Salazar.

" _Ah can. A feeling of pain, sufferin' and…death,"_ said Rowena…

 **XXXXXXX**

" _That's the same I felt the first time I saw the door,"_ exclaimed Luna.

" _Did your mother and the others go down the hole?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Aye, they did,"_ said Helena.

" _And what did they find,"_ asked Daphne.

" _Mah mammy never told me. She an' the other founders kept it a secret from everyone else,"_ said Helena.

" _But have you never wondered what they discovered? Since you're a ghost now, can't you go down there and have a look?"_ said Parvati.

Helena sighed. _"Nae, Ah can't. The founders weren't stupid. They added some protection which makes it impossible fur a ghost to enter the place."_

" _You can do that? I mean, blocking out ghosts from an area?"_ asked Susan.

" _Aye, it's possible. But it requires some powerful magic."_

" _But if they wanted to keep it a secret, why did they add the door?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Durin' the first years of Hogwarts, the discipline was different from how it's today,"_ replied Helena. _"Breakin' the rules back then had much harsher punishments. Most students did what they were told. So they kept the door there fur easy access to study whatever is down in that hole."_

" _But they removed it, so something must have happened?"_ said Daphne.

" _Aye. Like Ah said, most students followed the rules. But some didn't,"_ said Elena. _"In mah first year, somethin' terrible happened at Hogwarts…_

 **XXXXXXX**

 **Hogwarts, Late in the evening, Unknown date, 1002.**

Helena Ravenclaw was running down the main corridor with her classmates but was stopped by the other students from Hogwarts who blocked the way. She saw her mother standing on the other side of the crowd and pushed her way through. _"Mammy, what's happenin'?_

" _Ye shouldn't be here. Go back to the tower with ye,"_ said Rowena.

But Helena didn't obey her mother. She instead watched the half-open door on the corridor wall, attempting to see what's inside. Several minutes went before anything happened. Then two of the school's professors came out with a student each. A sixth-year boy from Slytherin and a fifth-year girl from Hufflepuff. They both seemed extremely nervous and on the verge to run away from the professors holding them. The last one out of the door was Godric Gryffindor. He locked the door behind himself and walked over to Rowena.

" _How are they?"_ whispered Rowena.

" _Not good. We gave them some calming potions, but I doubt they ever going to recover,"_ whispered Godric back. _"They weren't strong enough to resist the corruption."_

" _We should seal the entrance, it's too dangerous fur the students,"_ said Rowena.

" _I think if we add more protection on the door and make sure the punishment is severe in trying to enter, it should be safe enough,"_ replied Godric.

" _We are going to regret thes. I'm certain of it,"_ said Rowena…

 **XXXXXXX**

" _What happened to the two students?"_ asked Luna.

" _We ne'er saw them again,"_ answered Elena. _"_ Rumours _said that the madness remained with them until the day they died."_

" _But they didn't seal of the door back then?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Nae. Mah mammy wanted, but both Godric an' Helga voted against 'er,"_ said Helena.

" _What about Salazar? What did he say?"_ asked Daphne.

" _He had already left the school when thes happened, but I'm sure he also would have voted against mah mammy. She was the only who saw what would come."_

" _The enhanced protections and stricter punishments wasn't enough?"_ asked Hermione.

" _It worked, but only fur three more years. In mah fourth year, it happened again. Me an' mah best friend, Beatrice were talkin' with mah mammy in the Ravenclaw tower when Professor Eymor came an' whispered somethin' to 'er,"_ said Elena. _"Ah could see it on mah mammy's face that it was nothin' good. So when she left with the professor, Beatrice an' Ah followed them…_

 **XXXXXXX**

 **Hogwarts, Late at night, Unknown date, 1005.**

" _Helena, are you sure this is a good idea?"_ whispered Beatrice. _"If your mother catches you again, it will be hell to pay."_

" _Ah want to fin' out what Professor Eymor told 'er,"_ said Helena. She looked around the corner and saw that the corridor was empty.

" _Maybe you should stop trying to impress your mother and instead focus on your schoolwork? You've been slacking a lot lately,"_ said Beatrice.

Helena ignored her friend. They instead slowly walked down the corridor and peeked around the next corner into the main hallway.

" _Ah can only see Professor Eymor down there, an' he has his back to us,"_ whispered Helena. _"We can sneak down there without him seein' us."_

Beatrice wished to protest, but Helena was already on her way down the corridor. The two girls reached an armour only ten feet away from the door, on the other side of the hallway. Because they were so close to Professor Eymor, none of them dared to say anything. Several minutes passed before the door opened and a stretcher came out, hovering in the air. Right behind walked Helga Hufflepuff who controlled the stretcher with her wand. Helena and Beatrice could see someone was lying on the stretcher, covered in a white blanket. Then followed Godric Gryffindor and Helena's mother, Rowena Ravenclaw. Each guiding a stretcher with a person beneath the sheets.

" _You found them?"_ asked Eymor.

" _Yes, but it was too late for them,"_ answered Godric. _"They are all dead."_

" _It must have been a painful death. Their faces said it all,"_ said Helga sorrowful.

" _Their blood is on yer hands,"_ said an angry Rowena, looking at the two other founders. _"We should have sealed the door last time thes happened."_

" _You don't have to remind me, Rowena. Two of them are mine, and the third is from Helga's house,"_ said Godric with a sad voice. _"Let us get these to the hospital wing first, then we'll seal this door for good. No more lives shall be endangered because of my stupid pride."_ He locked the door and turned towards professor Eymor. _"Please stay guard a bit longer. We will be back soon and make sure this door vanishes from Hogwarts existence forever."_

" _As you wish,"_ answered Eymor and placed himself next to the door, watching as the three founders walked away with the stretches…

 **XXXXXXX**

" _Someone died on the inside of that door?"_ asked Hermione.

Helena nodded. _"Ah don't know the names, but two boys from Gryffindor an' a girl from Hufflepuff died that night. They kept the whole event secret fur the students."_

" _There wasn't anyone who wondered how they died?"_ asked Padma.

" _The others were told the students had died in an accident. Fallin' from one of the stairs to their death,"_ answered Helena.

" _Why didn't they just tell the truth? Wouldn't that prevented any more accidents?"_ asked Parvati.

" _Yes, by forcing the school to close its doors,"_ said Daphne. _"I don't think even back then that the students' parents would have accepted having their children on the school with a deadly threat. It's easier to bury the problem and pretend it never happened."_

" _Hermione, I guess this means I won't be allowed to walk around alone?"_ said Luna while she looked at the brunette.

" _No, you won't,"_ replied Hermione back. _"Until we find out more about what's down there, I can't take that chance."_

" _Couldn't we just go public with this information? The Ministry could come and…"_ said Parvati, but was interrupted by Susan.

" _And who do you think the Ministry will believe? A group of first-year girls or the mighty professor Dumbledore?"_ said Susan. _"My aunt works at the Ministry in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She is one of the most powerful persons who work there, but even she would need solid evidence to go up against Dumbledore. That's how much power he has."_

" _Susan is right. If Dumbledore knows about this door and doesn't want anyone to reveal it, we're going to need more than just a story. Helena, do you…,"_ said Daphne, but stopped when she discovered that the Grey Lady wasn't among them any more. _"Where did she go?"_

 **XXXXXXX**

Helena Ravenclaw floated around in the castle, avoiding detection from students, professors and ghosts alike. She had kept her promise of telling the story and saw no reason to stay. But her meeting with the Granger girl hadn't been what Helena had expected. At the end of last school year, a rumour had wandered among the ghosts at Hogwarts. Nobody knew where it had begun, but it scared Helena and several of the other ghosts. This year, the Doom of Hogwarts would start at the school. A student who one day would bring an end to the castle by tearing it down to the ground. Soon, a name was being whispered among them. Hermione Jean Granger.

Before this year's sorting, all the ghosts waited to see the girl. Helena had been hiding in the walls when the boats came in from the lake. She followed the students every step up to the school until they entered the Great Hall. There Helena found a dark spot, hidden up in the roof and observed the sorting from a distance. When the girl's name was called, Helena could see how anxious most of the ghosts were. It didn't get any better when the whole castle shook halfway through Hermione's time on the stool. Dumbledore had claimed it was an earthquake, but Helena knew it had been a lie. Then the catastrophe happened. The Sorting Hat yelled, _"RAVENCLAW!"_. The Doom of Hogwarts had become a Ravenclaw student. Helena's own house.

She fled from the Hall in panic and flew around in the castle, not knowing where she should go. How could they allow this girl inside the walls? In the end, Helena went to the girls' lavatory on the second floor where she could hide from everyone. It was there Moaning Myrtle spent most of her time, but Helena could live with the girl's complaints if it meant nobody else would find the Grey Lady. There Helena sat while she tried to decide what to do. Protest to Albus Dumbledore? No, it was he who allowed the girl to come to Hogwarts. Leave the castle and never return? Tempting as it was, she couldn't do that. Hogwarts was a part of her mother's legacy, and Helena couldn't abandon it.

By the time the girls found her, Helena had considered several possibilities of what she could have done, but neither of them would solve anything. So when the Granger girl stood in front of her, Helena tried not showing how frightened she was. But when they stood there, face-to-face, Helena saw something in Hermione's eyes. Not some untamed demon, ready to tear down the walls around them, but a girl looking for an answer to a problem which threatened her best friend. Maybe the rumour was wrong? Maybe this girl wouldn't be the Doom of Hogwarts if Helena did her job and guided the girl? As the house ghost of Ravenclaw and daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, she had an obligation to help the students of her house. When Helena died, she had chosen to stay behind at Hogwarts to honour her mother and make up for her past mistakes. So at that moment, Helena Ravenclaw choose to help Hermione Jean Granger.

So what should Helena do now? After considering for a few moments, she knew there was only one thing to do and set a course towards the Headmaster's office. When floating through the wall, she could see Dumbledore sitting at his desk. But he wasn't alone this evening as both professor Snape and professor McGonagall sat in front of the Headmaster's desk.

Dumbledore raised his head and looked at Helena with a smile. _"Miss Ravenclaw. I wasn't expecting to see you tonight. Everyone has been so worried about you and wondered where you have been."_

" _I'm sorry to interrupt, Headmaster. Ah can come back later when ye have the time."_

" _No, it's all right,"_ said Dumbledore. _"We're just having a conversation about this year's students."_

" _As ye wish, Headmaster,"_ said Helena. _"Ah came to_ apologise _fur mah absence an' ask for yer forgiveness. Ah failed mah duty as the house ghost of Ravenclaw an' are willin' to accept any punishment ye feel are sufficient."_

" _My Lady, I can't see a reason for a punishment of your actions. I'm just glad that you're back,"_ said Dumbledore. _"The students of Ravenclaw have missed your presence. If you feel there is a need for apologies, you should give them to your students."_

" _Aye, you're right,"_ said Helena.

" _Miss Ravenclaw, may I ask for the reason for your absence?"_ asked McGonagall.

" _Minerva, I'm sure that's Miss Ravenclaws personal business, and we…."_ began Dumbledore to say before Helena interrupted the Headmaster.

" _Ah tried to hide from one of the students."_

" _Hiding? From whom?"_ asked McGonagall.

" _Hermione Jean Granger,"_ replied Helena. She could see on the professor's face that this answer didn't surprise her.

" _Miss Ravenclaw, you said you 'tried' to hide?"_ asked Snape. _"Do I understand it correctly you have been found?"_

Helena nodded. _"Aye, ah was."_

" _By whom?"_ asked Snape again.

" _Miss Granger and her friends,"_ answered Helena.

" _Friends?"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Aye. There were seven other girls with 'er. Three from Slytherin, one from Hufflepuff and Gryffindor and including Miss Granger, three from my own house."_

" _Albus, that's all of them? It can't be…how…when…"_ said McGonagall.

" _Miss Ravenclaw, are you sure?"_ asked Dumbledore.

" _Aye. After so many years at Hogwarts, Ah would think Ah should be able to see the difference between the houses."_

" _Of course,"_ answered Dumbledore. _"But this is unexpected. How is it possible?"_

" _I'm partly responsible for that,"_ said Snape.

" _Severus, what have you done?"_ asked McGonagall.

" _They gave me no other choice,"_ said Snape.

" _What do you mean?"_ asked Dumbledore. The Headmaster didn't look happy right now. _"We all agreed on our last meeting to wait a couple of months."_

" _Yes,"_ said Snape with a tiny smile on his lips. _"We agreed! But Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood seem to have other plans."_

Dumbledore sighed. _"Severus, would you please explain everything from the beginning?"_

" _As you wish. This morning I was up early and decided to spend my time preparing for some lessons I should have today,"_ began Snape explaining. _"On my way to the office, I saw four students sneaking around in the corridors. At the beginning of a new year, this isn't unusual. There is always someone who feels they need to test the rules. So I followed them until I would be close enough to catch them. But when I was nearly there, I_ recognised _the student in front. It was Miss Granger."_ Snape took a break from talking just long enough to have a sip from a glass on the desk. _"Obviously, the rules should apply to her as anyone else at the school. But I realised the dilemma it would create if I gave her detention this early in the year."_

" _That's a problem we all will have with these girls,"_ said McGonagall. _"We don't want to bring too much attention to them, but we can't let them break the rules without consequences."_

" _Exactly,"_ said Snape. _"But as I was about to say, I decide to let them get away this time. I, however, continue to follow them until they reached a dark corridor near the Ravenclaw tower. There they suddenly hid along the wall."_

" _Had they seen you?"_ asked Dumbledore.

" _Not me, but the light from Argus Filch's lantern. When our caretaker turned the corner and came walking towards the students, I stepped forward to prevent Argus from finding them. After…convincing him to look somewhere else, I could finally find out who was with Miss Granger."_

" _And?"_ said an impatient McGonagall.

" _Not surprisingly, one of them was Miss Lovegood, while the other two was the Patil sisters,"_ answered Snape.

" _Did you ask why they were out of bed during the curfew?"_ asked Dumbledore.

Snape shook his head. _"I didn't want to risk standing there with them in case Argus came back before we had finished. I told them to go straight back to the tower and continued on my way."_

" _That's very unusual of you to let students break to rules without receiving any punishment,"_ said McGonagall.

Snape let out a deep sigh. _"Yes, but as you said, this is an unusual situation."_

" _Yes, I understand,"_ said Dumbledore. _"But this hardly justifies the need to bring them together this early?"_

" _No, but what happened earlier today did,"_ said Snape. _"When I took your message to Mr Weasley, he was talking to three of these girls, but also a fourth one, Miss Bones from Hufflepuff. Her thoughts betrayed her and revealed that Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood had told Miss Bones about their magic."_

" _Did you read her mind without asking her? That's against the rules,"_ said McGonagall.

" _Miss Bones thoughts were so loud and clear, making it impossible not to hear them,"_ answered Snape.

" _That was when you decided to bring them together?"_ asked Dumbledore.

" _I understood it would be safer to bring them together now than letting these two girls continue their search. We know how messy Miss Granger's approach towards Miss Weasley was,"_ said Snape. _"I don't know how she contacted the Patil sisters, but considering the time and place where I found them, I doubt it was any better. When it comes to Miss Bones, I spoke with Mr Weasley after his meeting, and he told me what he knew about what happened between the girls. Apparently, it seems like Miss Granger's methods of contacting the others are becoming more direct now."_

" _What did Charlie tell you?"_ asked McGonagall. _"How did Miss Granger tell Miss Bones about their magic?"_

" _She asked Miss Bones if she had wild magic."_

McGonagall's eyes nearly popped out of her skull. _"She…she asked her? Just like that?"_

" _Yes,"_ answered Snape after another sip from his glass. _"Although I don't think Miss Granger is responsible for this reckless_ behaviour _alone, I couldn't let this continue. So I told them to meet me in my classroom after dinner and went back to give the three remaining girls the same message. Which turned out to be just in time as during the meeting, I learned that they also had discovered Miss Greengrass from my house."_

" _How do they do this?"_ said McGonagall.

" _That's a mystery I haven't solved yet,"_ answered Snape. _"I asked Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood, but not even they are sure how this happens."_

" _So you brought them together, what now?"_ said McGonagall.

" _We wait and see what they will do,"_ answered Dumbledore. _"The main reason I wanted to wait was to give them time to become better acquainted with their houses. We know how difficult it can be for some of the houses to work together. By giving the girls a couple of months before meeting each other, they would have time to learn what they can and cannot do among their own. It would have made it easier to interact with each other. Their loyalty to the houses is still weak now, and unless they strengthen this bond, I fear there is a risk that the girls may become outcasts of their own house."_

" _Two days or two months, it wouldn't have made any difference,"_ said Snape and stood up from his chair. _"Sooner or later, they will remember. When that happens, Hogwarts houses won't matter to them at all. One day, they will only be loyal to each other. And considering what happened last time, it would be very unwise to stand in their way."_ He looked at the Headmaster and said with a low voice, _"Especially you."_ Then Snape turned around and walked out of the office.

Snape had only been walking a few feet away from the gargoyle leading up to the Headmaster's office when noticing someone was following him. Turning around, he saw the Grey Lady moving slowly towards the professor. _"Anything I can help you with, my lady?"_

" _Ye lied! Why?"_ asked Helena.

" _In what way did I lie?"_ asked Snape back.

" _Ye know what Ah mean. Ghost an' those with yer magic have somethin' in common, which gives me the ability to sense when someone like ye are lyin'."_

" _What will you do if I say yes, I lied?"_

" _It depends on the truth,"_ answered Helena.

Snape considered the best way to solve the situation. He knew Helena Ravenclaw was very protective of Hogwarts because her mother had been one of the founders. Telling her the truth could go both ways, but Snape decided to take the chance. _"Most of what I told them was true, except for my reason walking around in the corridors. I got a warning from an acquaintance about a potential…problem at Hogwarts. The details of the warning were unclear, so I was walking around to find clues which could give me a more direct understanding of the problem. That was when I encountered Miss Granger with her friends."_

" _Then why didn't ye tell the Headmaster the truth?"_ asked Helena.

" _Because I feel Dumbledore are struggling to make the right choices about these girls. Until I know more about the problem, it's better that he does not,"_ said Snape and was about to leave, but in the last second, he added, _"Dumbledore need to take these girls more seriously than he does. At the current pace, he's playing with fire and will burn all of us unless I do what has to be done."_

" _An' what is that?"_ asked Helena.

" _Preparing them for what's coming,"_ was the last thing Snape said before he continued down the hall.

 **XXXXXXX**

 **Ravenclaw Tower, Late in the evening, Tuesday, 03rd September. 1991.**

" _You don't trust me, do you?"_ whispered Luna.

" _I do trust you, but I'm not sure if it matters,"_ whispered Hermione back.

After hearing the story from Helena Ravenclaw, the group of girls had split up and went back to their own houses. When it was time to go to bed, Hermione had insisted on staying with Luna, just like when one of them was sleeping over at home. If someone found out that the two girls were sharing bed, questions would arise. But Hermione didn't think about this at all now. Making sure Luna didn't try to find the door on her own was currently the main priority.

" _What do you think about the other girls?" asked Luna._

" _It feels…weird, but also comforting to have met them."_

" _Eight students from the four houses, all first-years, not to mention that Ginny will join us next year. Won't this create a lot of attention towards us?"_

" _Without a doubt, but perhaps we can find a way to make it work to our advantage."_

" _How so?"_ said Luna and yawned.

" _I'm not sure yet, but if we talk with the others, we could work out something which…"_ Hermione stopped talking when she noticed that the blonde girl already was asleep. _"Good night,"_ whispered Hermione and closed her own eyes. The steady breath from Luna was like a lullaby, and not long after had Hermione also fallen asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hogwarts corridors, Early in the morning, Wednesday, 04th September. 1991.**

" _WAIT FOR ME!"_

Hermione and Luna stopped and spun around. Further up the corridor, they saw Padma Patil running towards them.

" _Wasn't you meeting your sister?"_ asked Hermione.

Padma stopped next to her fellow Ravenclaws while trying to catch her breath. _"Yes, but she wasn't there. One girl told me Parvati had left earlier with Lavender."_

" _Maybe she wasn't expecting you this morning?"_ said Luna.

" _But we always meet before breakfast."_

" _Could she have forgotten -"_

" _No!"_ Padma stared down at the floor and sniffed. _"I think she's mad at me."_

" _Why?"_ asked Luna.

Padma sniffed again and wiped a tear from her cheek. _"After we split up yesterday, I followed her back to the Gryffindor tower and…we argued."_

" _Is she having a second thought about the group?"_ Hermione had feared this would happen. Yesterday had gone a bit too easy.

" _She's scared to be seen with the Slytherins,"_ answered Padma.

" _But Snape said we had to forget about the houses and stay loyal to each other,"_ said Luna.

" _Yeah, easy for him to say. Even he should know how deep the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin goes,"_ said Padma. _"Unless they're sharing classes or trying to rip each other to shreds on the Quidditch pitch, they don't mingle at all. Being seen with someone from the opposite house aren't a good thing."_

" _She's more afraid of this than having someone discovering her magic?"_ asked Hermione.

Padma nodded. _"I told Parvati how foolish she was, but she wouldn't listen. After that, our 'discussion' went in circles until she closed the portrait in front of my face."_

" _Hermione, what shall we do?"_ asked Luna.

" _I'm not sure. I think we all need to sit down and talk. We didn't get the chance yesterday."_

" _Where?"_ said Padma. _"It's not something we can discuss in the Great Hall or the library."_

" _Luna and I know a place which could work."_

" _Is it where you -"_

Hermione nodded. _"Yes, it's the same place we told you about that morning. I'll tell Daphne about it in our first class today. She should be able to pass on the message to the Carrow twins."_ She turned to Luna. _"Could you speak with Susan in our Herbology class?"_

" _Sure."_

" _And Padma, find a way to get a hold of your sister. Tell her to meet us at the bottom of the Grand Staircase after today's dinner."_

" _What if she doesn't want to come?"_ said Padma.

" _Then I'll tell Snape and have him drag her there,"_ replied Hermione.

Padma raised her eyebrows. _"You think Snape would do that?"_

" _No,"_ chuckled Hermione, _"but it's enough if Parvati thinks he would."_

" _Lies won't make my sister happier, but I'll do it. She needs to get her head out of the bloody sand."_

" _I'm not fond of lies either, but I've learned you can't always avoid them with our magic."_ As someone who believed in true information, the concept of using lies wasn't something Hermione enjoyed. But the truth was too dangerous. _"We have to look out for each other, even when they don't want us to do so."_

" _I'm hoping my sister will understand that too,"_ said Padma, _"but she has a habit of being stubborn at the wrong moments."_

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

The breakfast was done in record time since Hermione wanted to get to the classroom early. When the two Ravenclaws entered the corridor where the classroom was, they could see Daphne Greengrass standing next to the door.

" _Good morning, Daphne,"_ said Luna.

Daphne clutched her books closer to the chest. _"Good morning to you two as well."_

" _Didn't expect to see you here this early. You're not having problems, are you?"_ asked Hermione.

The Slytherin girl avoided meeting the other girls' eyes. _"Not more than expected."_

Luna tilted her head and looked at Daphne with a worried expression. _"You seem tense. Not unlike when Hermione is bothered by something."_

" _It's a Slytherin problem. Not something you can help me with."_

" _Let me guess,"_ said Hermione. _"Someone in your house doesn't like you being around a Gryffindor?"_

Daphne snorted. _"It's not that simple."_

Walking closer to Daphne, Luna put her hand on the girl's shoulder. _"Daphne. We would like to help you, but unless you tell us, we can't."_

The Slytherin girl was tugging her clothes for a moment, but then looked at Hermione with sad eyes. _"It's because of you."_

" _Me?"_ said Hermione surprised.

Daphne nodded. _"Someone from my house saw us yesterday. He pestered me at breakfast this morning with questions I didn't want to answer. To get away, I left early. Which is why I'm here now."_

" _He?"_ Hermione's eyes narrowed. _"Are we talking about Draco Malfoy?"_

Daphne gave a new nod.

Before Hermione got the chance to ask another question, the mentioned boy came around the corner with Crabbe and Goyle following behind.

" _Why did you leave without answering my -"_ said Draco at first, but he then discovered Hermione and Luna. _"What are you doing here?"_

" _Unless you have forgotten, Ravenclaw and Slytherin are sharing most of the classes today."_ Hermione pointed towards the door. _"And behind that door are our first class."_

Draco walks up to Hermione, glaring at the girl with angry eyes. _"Be glad I'm not allowed to touch you. Otherwise, I would have repaid you for what you did on the train. Your kind shouldn't -"_

" _Mr Malfoy,"_ said a cold voice.

Everyone turned towards the now open door. There stood Snape and looked at the Slytherin boy.

" _Are you threatening a fellow student, Mr Malfoy?"_ continued Snape.

" _No, I was just -"_

" _Lying as well, Mr Malfoy. I'm very displeased with your attitude. Ten points from Slytherin for lying to a teacher and threatening another student."_ Snape stepped to the side of the door. _"Now, all of you, get inside and wait for the others."_

It didn't take long after the six students sat down in the classroom before the remaining students arrived. Snape continued with the Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson from last time. After the students had been dismissed at the end of the double lesson, Hermione walked up to Snape. _"Here is the book I told you about."_ She handed over the book written by Leonard Craven to Snape who accepted without a word. Hermione and Luna then left the classroom and found Daphne waiting for them outside.

" _I'm sorry I have dragged you into this mess with Draco,"_ said Daphne when the three girls moved towards their next class.

" _There's nothing for you to apologise for,"_ answered Hermione. _"The only one to blame is Draco himself."_

" _Hermione?"_

" _Yes, Luna?"_

" _Why did Draco say; I'm not allowed to touch you?"_

" _I don't know. I've been thinking about it the whole class, but still not sure what he meant by this."_

Daphne looked behind her, making sure the three girls were alone. _"I think it's some agreement between Draco and Snape, but I can't say for sure."_

" _What do you mean?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Remember after our first Defence Against the Dark Arts class? When Snape told Draco to wait outside while talking with you two?"_

" _Yes?"_

" _Before it happened, Draco had been looking forward to having Snape as our teacher. But after that class, Draco's attitude changed. He hasn't said it out loud, but it seems Draco hates Snape now."_

" _Perhaps,"_ said Hermione. _"But why me?"_

" _Because of what we are?"_ replied Daphne.

" _It doesn't make any sense. Why not you or Luna? We're all the same, so why only me?"_

" _Only Snape knows."_ Daphne smiled. _"Besides, after what you did to Draco on the train, no one with a working brain would dare to touch Luna."_

" _Maybe you should ask Snape?"_ said Luna.

" _Doubt he would have told me if I did."_ In the little time Hermione had known Snape, she knew the professor didn't like sharing his reasons to others.

" _I think you're right,"_ said Daphne.

" _Look, there's Padma,"_ said Luna.

At a corner 10 feet away, their fellow Ravenclaw stood and waited.

" _Waiting for your sister?"_ asked Luna.

Padma shook her head. _"No, I've just talked with her. She doesn't like it but will come to the meeting."_

" _Meeting? What meeting?"_ asked Daphne.

" _I almost forgot,"_ said Hermione. _"We didn't talk much yesterday. So I thought we should do that tonight."_

" _Yes, I'm sure we all have a lot of questions. But where can we talk?"_ asked Daphne. _"We would need a place where others can't overhear us."_

" _That has been taken care of,"_ replied Hermione. _"We just need to make sure everyone is coming. Daphne, could you talk to Flora and Hestia? Tell them to meet at the Grand Staircase after dinner."_

" _I hope they are less stubborn than my sister."_

" _Is it because Parvati doesn't want to be seen with me?"_

" _It's nothing personal against you, Daphne. But I believe she already has heard what the others at Gryffindor think about your house. So, Parvati is afraid they will look down at her for having friends in Slytherin."_

Daphne laugh. _"Well, tell your sister to join the club. The twins and I have the same problem, but the others in our house can think whatever they want. If they had known what we know, I'm sure most of them wouldn't have lifted a finger to help. I rather take my chances with you than them."_

When they reached the door for their next class, it was open. Stepping inside, they discovered it wasn't an ordinary classroom. It reminded more about the auditorium where Hermione and Luna had found the Patil sisters that night. Except this room was in a lot better shape than what the other had been. Daphne walked down to a bench on the left side and sat down next to the Carrow twins. The three Ravenclaw girls picked the free seats behind the Slytherins. Looking across the stage, Hermione could see how Draco glared at the girls.

When the last of the students had entered, the door closed itself, and the light in the room got weaker. The lanterns on the stage were lit, revealing Dumbledore standing in the middle. _"Welcome everyone to your first class with Magical Philosophy,"_ said the Headmaster in a calm voice. _"You won't need books, quills or parchments here. Instead, we will think, talk and philosophise on practical and ethical questions around magic."_ He made a swift movement over his head with the wand and the word 'Magic' appeared with floating letters over the stage. _"What is magic?"_

A few of the students tried using the textbook explanation, but Dumbledore stopped them before anyone could finish.

" _I'm not looking for the technical explanation here. If you think about it, what are magic besides spells and potions?"_ said Dumbledore.

A minute went by until Hermione raised her hand.

" _Yes, Miss Granger."_

" _Magic is a responsibility, professor?"_

Dumbledore smiled and nodded. _"Indeed it is. Everyone in this room can use magic. Our levels of skills can differ, but it doesn't change the responsibility we all have when using it. Magic is being used for the smallest and most innocent, to the largest and most cruel tasks in our world. It's just as much a gift as a curse. Anyone else who has a suggestion on what magic is?"_

A boy from Slytherin raised his hand.

" _Mr Nott?"_

" _It's a choice, professor?"_

" _Yes, that's true,"_ replied Dumbledore. _"Using magic is a choice you have to take in all situations. As I just said, magic is being used for a lot of things, but should you? Relying too much on this could leave you at a disadvantage."_

" _Why?"_ said Draco without raising his arm. _"Magic is our birthright. Why not use it when we can?"_

Dumbledore walked closer to Draco. _"Mr Malfoy, do you use magic when you're making food at home."_

" _Not often, but sometimes. Our servants are the one who makes our food most of the time."_

" _I understand,"_ said Dumbledore. _"Those times when you're doing it yourself, are you using your wand?"_

" _Of course, what else should I use?"_

" _Would you please hold up your wand, Mr Malfoy?"_

Draco hesitated, but soon pulled his wand out from the robe and held it in front of himself.

" _Good."_ The Headmaster made a slight motion with his fingers, and Malfoy's wand flew into Dumbledore's waiting hand.

" _Hey! Why did you do that? That's my wand!"_

" _Don't worry,"_ said Dumbledore. _"Answer my next question, and you will have your wand back."_

Draco was annoyed now. _"What question?"_

" _You're alone in a dark forest and starving. You find an abandoned crate with food, but you have to cook it first. Could you do it?"_

" _If I had my wand, yes I could."_

" _But you don't have your wand. It's here in my hand."_

The Slytherin boy seemed very uncomfortable where he sat, looking at the wand Dumbledore still held.

" _Very well,"_ said Dumbledore and sent the wand back to its owner. He went to the centre of the stage again and looked over the rest of the students. _"If we make a choice to rely too much on magic, we risk ending up in situations where our wands may be lost. Yes, it's possible to perform magic without one but is a lot more difficult. So next time any of you wish to do something simple, perhaps you should give your magic a pause. Do things by hand for a change. After all, regrets will not help you solve a situation. But the knowledge on how to do without magic will."_

By the time the class ended, the students and Dumbledore had discussed a lot more around choices in magic. Several of the Slytherins had tried to defend the use of magic in all situations, while most Ravenclaws advocated for the opposite view. Hermione had stayed out of this discussion, but she was sure it would have continued for a long time if Dumbledore had allowed it.

The group of six girls left the classroom and headed towards the Great Hall. Almost there, they met Harry and Ron who had just finished Transfiguration with Hufflepuff.

" _Hermione, I didn't see you or Luna at breakfast this morning?"_ said Ron while he looked sceptical at the three Slytherin girls.

" _We left early before you arrived. Why do you ask?"_

" _Nothing special. Just found it strange not seeing you there."_

Hermione found it odd that Ron was worried about her. Throughout the year they had known each other, Ron had seldom talked with Hermione. Only Percy had avoided Hermione more than Ron.

" _Hermione, could I talk with you? Alone?"_ said Ron.

It was an unusual request from the Weasley boy. Hermione didn't have a good feeling for this but decided to hear him out. _"I'll see you inside the hall,"_ she told the other girls. She then brought Ron over to the side of the corridor and waited for him to talk first.

" _I don't understand you,"_ began Ron. _"After all those warnings my family gave you about Slytherin, you should know better than to trust them."_

" _Why?"_

" _They supported You-Know-Who and -"_

" _Are you serious?"_ Hermione tipped her head back and groaned.

" _Hermione, what -"_

Hermione looked furiously at Ron. _"Whom my friends are isn't your freaking problem. And just so you know, there were several supporters from the other houses as well as Slytherin."_

" _But -"_

" _No but. You shouldn't judge a book based on the cover."_

" _Come on, Hermione. Even my sister would agree with me that when it comes to Slytherin, they -"_

Hermione laughed.

" _What's so funny?"_

" _You clearly don't know Ginny well enough."_

" _What you mean by that? She's my sister, and I have known her for longer than you."_

" _I guess that's why you hurt her feelings all the time? Because each time Ginny was training, you walked away."_

" _She said nothing about that to me."_

" _What? You expect her to tell you her feelings every time you didn't care?"_

" _I did care!"_ Ron's face was red as a tomato now.

" _That's not what she told Luna and me. Ginny noticed how scared you were of her. And that you never gave her help when she needed it."_

" _What help could I give her? Yes, I love my sister, but she also scares me."_ Ron looked down at the floor and walked back and forward a couple of times. _"I've heard the stories, Hermione. Before she met you and Luna, I always was afraid for the day she would lose her control. When I saw how you lost it against Fred and George, I became even more afraid."_

" _What about Harry?"_

" _Harry? What does he have to do with this?"_

Hermione had to restrain herself from slapping some sense into the boy. Ron could be so thickheaded and slow at times. _"I'm sure you heard the stories surrounding Harry as well? Those about his mother? You listen to him, talked to him and became his friend. Why can't you do the same for your own sister? How hurt will Ginny be when she finds out? That you preferred an unknown boy instead of her? Unless you haven't noticed, Ginny cares a lot about you."_

" _Blimey, Hermione. You're starting to sound like Luna."_

" _So what if I do? Are you going to tell me to stay away from her as well?"_ Without waiting for an answer, Hermione marched off while leaving Ron to his own thoughts.

Her appetite had vanished, so instead of the Great Hall, she went down to the dungeons. There she sat down next to the door which led to the classroom for Potions. She picked up a loose rock from the floor and threw it at the wall on the opposite side. _"Bloody git,"_ mumbled Hermione. How could Ron be such an idiot sometimes? After all this talk about how Harry wasn't like such-and-such, Ron couldn't give his sister the same courtesy. Instead, Ginny was still a 'monster' to him. How could he think like that? Charlie and Bill had always been supportive of their sister. Heck, even Fred and George, when they managed to put aside their jokes, stood by Ginny's side. But Ron?

" _Your early, Miss Granger. The class isn't for another forty minutes,"_ said a voice beside the girl.

Hermione looked up at Professor Slughorn in the open door.

" _Are you having some kind of problem?"_ asked Slughorn.

" _No. I just argued with a friend's brother. He made me so mad that I lost my appetite. So I went down here instead of the Great Hall."_ She threw another stone at the wall. _"Perhaps not a good idea when I think about it. My friends must wonder where I am now."_

Slughorn smiled. _"Instead of sitting out here, why don't you come inside. I'm just preparing for today's lesson anyway and wouldn't mind the company."_

" _Of course, professor."_ Hermione picked up her bag from the floor and walked into the classroom which Slughorn.

" _Was it a love quarrel?"_ asked Slughorn while he sorted ingredients on his desk.

Hermione sat down at one of the desks in front. _"No! Why do you think it was a love quarrel?"_

Slughorn laughed. _"Just a guess. Last time I worked at Hogwarts, there were two things the students always argued over. Love and Quidditch. And since you're a first-year and Madam Hooch hasn't begun the trials yet, I assumed the former."_

" _Professor, can I ask why you retired before?"_ Hermione hoped this question would make Slughorn forget about her quarrel.

" _Well, I'm not a young man anymore, and I had been teaching for at least fifty years. After so long, even the best of us get tired of doing what we love. So I quit my job, believing it would make me happy."_

" _Did you?"_

" _For a time, yes. But after a couple of years, I started to miss the school again. So when Dumbledore asked if I could come back, I accepted."_

" _What are we going to work on today, professor?"_

" _Nothing major. Some simple cures for boils,"_ answered Slughorn. _"I don't wish to make it too difficult the first months. After all, not everyone is a natural talent like you and your friend, Miss Lovegood."_

" _Thank you, professor. But I think you're giving me too much praise. Luna is much better than me."_

Slughorn finished the sorting and sat down at the corner of his desk. _"It's true that Miss Lovegood is a natural talent as her mother was before her, but you don't give yourself enough credit. I've been teaching several thousands of students over the years and knows how to spot talent."_

" _You taught Luna's mother?"_

Slughorn nodded. _"Yes, although I haven't maintained my contact with her. Not that I didn't want to, but during the war, it wasn't a priority. And when it was over, several of my friends sadly wasn't with us any more."_ He stared into the air, reminiscent of the past. _"What I'm trying to tell you is that you shouldn't waste your life on arguing with friends. I did it with so many of mine and never got the chance to tell them how sorry I was for my words."_

" _Hermione? There you are,"_ said Luna as she entered through the door. Right behind the blonde girl was also Padma and the three Slytherin girls.

The brunette was happy to see them because the atmosphere in the room had become a bit awkward. Fortunately, Slughorn now disappeared into the storage at the back, leaving the girls alone in the classroom.

" _Sorry that I didn't come to the Great Hall, but -"_

" _We know about your quarrel with Ron,"_ said Daphne.

" _You do? How?"_

" _I spotted the Weasley boy when he entered the Great Hall alone,"_ replied Daphne. _"I expected you to show up shortly after, but when you didn't, I walked over to the Ravenclaw table and talked with Luna. Apparently, she already knew your absence was Ron's fault."_

" _Yes, I could see the guilt all over his face,"_ grimaced Luna…

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

 **Earlier in the Great Hall.**

" _What do you think have happened?"_ asked Daphne.

" _Don't know, but I'll find out."_ Luna marched over to where Ron was sitting and slammed her hands down at the table. _"What did you do to Hermione?"_

Ron jumped backwards in his seat. _"Me? I haven't done anything."_

" _You wanted to talk with her alone, and now she isn't here. Something must have happened?"_ asked Daphne who now stood behind Luna.

" _Why do you care? You're a Slytherin after all."_ Ron looked around at the now silent Gryffindor table for support, but no one wanted to take part in this discussion, not even his own brothers.

" _I care because I consider Hermione a friend. A concept you don't seem to understand so well,"_ said Daphne.

" _I'll ask you one last time. Where…are…Hermione?"_ snarled Luna.

" _Come 'n Luna, this isn't like you at -"_ Ron stiffened as he now stared into the tip of Luna's wand.

" _I'm sure you remember how good Hermione is with magical spells?"_ said Luna.

Ron just nodded frantically.

The tip of Luna's wand now glowed. _"And guess who's been learning from her for a long time?"_

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

 **Back in the Potions classroom, present.**

" _And that was when the little weasel found his tongue and told us everything,"_ grinned Daphne.

" _Everything? Even about…You-Know-What?"_ asked Hermione.

" _No, I don't believe he mention anything about that,"_ said Daphne.

" _Good. It means there's still some sense in him."_ Hermione turned towards Luna. _"You threatened Ron in front of everyone? What if one of the teachers had seen you?"_

" _Sorry. I don't know what came over me at that moment."_

" _I'm not saying Ron doesn't have his faults and can be a huge idiot at times. But he's still Ginny's brother, and I promised to look after him."_ Then Hermione giggled. _"But knowing Ginny, I think Ron got away cheap this time."_

" _So you're not mad at me?"_ said Luna in a hushed voice.

" _I've done worse, so I can't complain about others."_

" _What do you mean by worse?"_ asked one of the Carrow twins.

Hermione looked shameful into the desk. _"I almost killed two people in rage a year ago."_

" _Wow!"_ said Daphne in response.

They could now hear the rest of the students coming closer in the corridor outside. The girls found their seats with no more questions, but Hermione was sure they would return to this topic later.

The double lesson in portion went without any difficulty, and when it was over, the Ravenclaws walked to the greenhouses for the second Herbology class this week. By the time they left the greenhouses again, they had told Susan about the meeting. Now Hermione was dragged back to the castle by Luna.

" _Luna, I know the way,"_ said Hermione while trying to break free from Luna's grip.

Luna just strengthened her grip and said, _"Perhaps, but you haven't eaten since breakfast. I want to make sure you don't skip another meal."_

At this point, Hermione gave up all resistance and followed the blonde girl without complaining.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

 **Meanwhile, at Hagrid's hut.**

Dumbledore knocked on the door a second time. _"Hagrid, are you here?"_ No response except for the barking from Fang, but Dumbledore then heard some heavy, slow steps coming towards the door.

Hagrid wasn't the most well-groomed person at Hogwarts. His hair and beard were always an unruly chaos, while Hagrid's clothes were full of patches and tears. The main reason for this was the half-giants unhealthy love for dangerous creatures. Some had even wondered if he was homeless the first time they saw him. Dumbledore didn't mind as he considered Hagrid to be a good friend, but the sight he saw when the door opened was a bit concerning even for the old wizard. Hagrid stood there fully dressed, but it seemed like he had been sleeping in a ditch as the clothes were wet and dirty. The hair and beard were wilder than ever before, while his eyes had a weak, glowing green colour.

" _Hagrid, my good friend. What has happened to you?"_

The half-giant stood there for several seconds before he answered. _"I'm not sure, professor."_ He stumbled back into the hut and dropped his enormous body down into a chair.

The Headmaster followed and closed the door behind him. _"You're a real mess right now."_

" _Yeah, I musta fallen asleep on the floor."_

" _Why? Do you remember anything at all?"_

" _Well, 's about the Forbidden Forest…or perhaps tha' on the lake came firs'…"_

" _Hagrid, take it from the beginning,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Righ'. The beginnin'."_ Hagrid straightened his back, filled a mug with water and took a sip. _"When the new students came this year, I helped them from the station an' across the lake as usual. The boat ride usually is uneventful as the first-years are too impressed with seein' Hogwarts. But this year summat happened."_

" _That's four days ago. Why didn't you tell me?"_

" _I didn' think it was important an' yeh have seemed quite stressed lately, so guess I wanted to wait? Or I forgot?"_

Dumbledore was sure it was the last reason. Forgetting important information was one of Hagrid's unfortunate flaws. _"So, what happened?"_

" _Well, we were abou' halfway across the lake when a boy spotted somethin'. At firs', it looked like a golden carpet, but the few moving carpets I've seen never moved this fast. That's when one of the girls said it was Shimmerin' Star Fairies, an' I suddenly remembered it should be a colony in the Forbidden Forest. Later in the evenin', I wondered why the fairies had left the forest. Me duty, after all, are to handle any problems in there."_

" _Shimmering Star Fairies?"_ It became obvious for the Headmaster what had happened. _"Hagrid, don't tell me you have been in that part of the Forbidden Forest."_

" _Which part?"_ asked a bewildered Hagrid.

Dumbledore shook his head. Forgetfulness was another flaw the half-giant had. _"Do you remember what I told you about the Forbidden Forest the day you became our gamekeeper?"_

" _Eh…"_

" _I warned you about certain parts of the forest, places which are forbidden even for you."_

" _Sorry."_

" _What is done is done, but I still want to hear what happened in the forest."_

" _Of course, professor."_ Hagrid took another sip from the mug and continued his explanation. _"This mornin' I wanted to find out if somethin' was wrong with the fairies. Since I wasn' sure where the colony were, I headed in the direction I believed it should be. At the beginnin', it was easy to travel, but after some time I reached an overgrown area. As I tried findin' a way through the thick bushes an' many branches, I felt…tired and exhausted. Me eyesight became blurred, makin' it difficult to see. I decided to turn around and somehow managed to stumble me way back to the hut. I got inside, closed the door and…I tried to reach me chair…but I fainted?"_ He looked over his clothes for a moment. _"I must have fallen a few times on me way here."_

Dumbledore saw that the green colour in the half-giants eyes had begun to fade. He released a sigh of relief. _"You're lucky to be alive. There's a good reason why that part of the forest is overgrown. It's to prevent any people or animal from entering by accident. Only the Shimmering Star Fairies and a few who knows how to protect themselves can enter."_

" _Professor, what's inside tha' area?"_

" _For you? Death!"_

Hagrid jumped where he sat. _"Will…will I die now?"_

" _No, my friend. You turned around in time and only received a small dose. If you hadn't, we wouldn't have had this conversation now."_ Dumbledore decided it wasn't a good idea to tell the gamekeeper how close he had been to his death. _"That's why I told you many years ago not to enter that part of the Forbidden Forest."_

" _I musta forgotten,"_ said Hagrid.

" _I hope you will remember now?"_

" _Yeh can be sure I will. But what's inside tha' part, except for me possible…death?"_ asked Hagrid a second time.

Dumbledore sighed. _"Betrayal, tragedy, shame and more death."_

After making sure Hagrid hadn't received any permanent damage from his experience in the Forbidden Forest, Dumbledore left the hut. Halfway back to the castle at the wooden bridge, he stopped and stared down at the massive forest. Within its borders were many secrets and dangers, which is why the students weren't allowed inside. That Hagrid had stumbled upon the most secret and dangerous part of them all wasn't what worried Dumbledore the most. No, it was how much the place had affected the half-giant. Giants had a strong resistance against magic, which under normal circumstances should have protected Hagrid. Unless…could it…no, it was too early…was it? Maya had given Dumbledore a lot of information over the years. It had been essential for creating a plan for how he should prepare the girls for what's coming. But as Snape pointed out last evening, the girls seem to have other ideas than to abide by the Headmaster's plan, making it almost worthless. He would now have to follow the girls more closely and adapt as time went by. But first, he would need to confirm something important.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

When Hermione and Luna approached the Grand Staircase after dinner, the others were already waiting. Hermione noticed how some of the older students looked curiously at the group when they passed by. Seeing students from all four houses grouped up like this was obviously not common at Hogwarts. Perhaps Hermione should have chosen a better meeting place, but it was too late to change now. It wouldn't surprise her if the rest of the school had heard about this odd group by the end of the week. Marietta and her equals would make sure it happened without a doubt. Of all the girls, Parvati was the one who seemed most uncomfortable with the situation. Only her sister's stern eyes made sure the Gryffindor girl didn't run away.

" _I think we're attracting some attention,"_ said Daphne with a smile.

Unlike Parvati, the Slytherin girl seemed to enjoy herself, which wasn't surprising. Hermione and Luna had talked shortly about why the Slytherin girl didn't seem to have a problem following Hermione's lead. Despite her recent quarrel with Ron, Hermione wasn't oblivious about the Slytherin house's history. Typically, they were the kind of people who preferred to lead, rather than follow. After all, ambition was a prevalent trait among their students. But Luna had said that even Slytherins would follow if it gave them a chance to rise in power. And since Hermione had displayed a higher skill in magic than most first-years, the Slytherins saw the Ravenclaw girl as someone who could lead them to this goal. Or perhaps they just sought protection in numbers? Either way, Hermione could live with both reasons.

" _Yes, I didn't think about this when I picked the meeting place,"_ said Hermione. _"I'm not quite sure where the room is, so I just chose a place which all of us would know about. But I forgot to think about the disadvantages it would cause."_

" _Don't worry,"_ replied Daphne. _"It wouldn't have mattered if we met somewhere else. The rumour about us has already started to spread. I give it one week or maybe two before the whole school knows."_

Hermione thought Daphne's time estimates were too optimistic, but the result would be the same either way. _"Follow me,"_ said Hermione and set course towards the east part of Hogwarts.

Dumbledore hadn't given them a map since it could be lost and found by the wrong people. He had instead explained step-by-step how to get there. So to find the room, Hermione had to follow each step one by one. After a short walk, they found the stairs which led up to the second floor. At the top, they walked down a short corridor before turning around a corner and up another stair. When reaching the third floor, the girls noticed how empty it was in this part of the castle. Probably the reason they had been given a room here. They now followed along a long hallway which made a right turn at the end. Just around the corner, they could see a door on the wall.

" _Here it is,"_ said Hermione when she stopped in front of the oak door.

" _It doesn't look much different from the others in the castle,"_ said Daphne.

" _I guess that's the point,"_ answered Hermione. She pulled out the key from her robe and lifted it towards the keyhole. It fit perfectly, and a small click sounded when she twisted the key around. With her hand on the door, ready to push it open, Hermione hesitated.

" _Is there a problem?"_ asked Susan.

" _No,"_ replied Hermione, _"but we were told it would be a small room, and I wonder if there will be space enough for all of us."_

" _Only one way to find out,"_ said Padma and pushed the door open for Hermione.

The group of girls looked through the doorway, stunned by what they saw. The 'small' room was nowhere near fitting the description Dumbledore had given. They stepped inside and looked around.

Daphne was the last one who entered. As she closed the door behind her, she said, _"If this is small, I'm the Minister for Magic."_

Hermione had to agree. The circular room they now stood in was anything but small. It was at least 16 yards in diameter and 7 to 8 yards high. The floor and roof were made of dark wood, while the plastered brick walls had been painted white. On the left side of the door, a vast fireplace in grey stone warmed the room with its burning fire. On the right side, a wooden stair led up to a balcony which followed the walls of the room in an almost full circle. Opposite the door, a broad and tall leaded window went from just above the floor and almost to the roof, ending in a smooth arch. Along the lower walls, stood several bookshelves full of books. And in the centre of the room was a round table in solid granite, surrounded by twelve wooden chairs.

" _There's even a small bathroom here,"_ said Padma as she closed a door on the other side of the fireplace.

" _Hermione, who gave you access to this room?"_ asked Daphne.

" _It was Dumbledore."_

" _Well, he has never been one who exaggerates, rather the opposite,"_ replied Daphne.

" _Hermione?"_

" _Yes, Luna?"_

" _Look at the centre of the table."_

Hermione did as she was told and could see the same wooden box from their meeting with Dumbledore. She picked it up and shook it carefully. They heard metal objects bumping against each other. _"There's something inside."_

" _What do you think it is?"_ asked Luna.

Hermione didn't answer but opened the box. The first thing she saw was an envelope addressed to her. She took it out and could see several keys at the bottom of the box. They looked just like the ones Dumbledore had given Hermione and Luna. She put the box back on the table, opened the envelope and pulled out a handwritten card.

' _Dear Miss Granger._

 _Last night I was told your circle of friends had changed. I realised the accommodation assigned to you and Miss Lovegood wouldn't be sufficient. I thus this morning made a few changes to better suit your future needs. I also added keys for everyone to make it less inconvenient for you all to enter the room._

 _Dumbledore'_

" _That explains why small isn't small,"_ said Daphne.

Luna handed out keys to the others, but in the end, she had three keys without an owner.

" _Spare keys?"_ wondered Susan.

" _Why are we using keys at all?"_ asked Daphne. _"If one of us lose theirs, others could find it and have access to this room."_

" _It won't happen,"_ said Hermione.

" _How do you know?"_ replied Daphne.

" _The keys are enhanced to only work for those with our kind of magic. If someone else finds the key and tries to use it, the lock won't work. Instead, it will swallow the key and return it back to Dumbledore,"_ explained Hermione. _"He added it as a safety measure for this exact reason. The door can also only be opened from the outside with a key. If you walk outside now and close the door, it will appear locked if you tried to open it again."_

" _So these three are spare keys then?"_ said Susan.

" _Perhaps,"_ said Hermione, but then another reason came to her mind. _"Unless…"_

" _You're thinking about Ginny?"_ said Luna.

Hermione nodded. _"But it wouldn't explain the other two."_

" _Ginny, who's that?"_ asked Daphne.

" _She's a friend who will begin at Hogwarts next year. She has wild magic as well,"_ said Luna.

" _Another one?"_ said one of the Carrow twins.

" _Is Ginny Charlie's sister? The one he talked about after our class yesterday?"_ asked Padma.

" _Yes. Her real name is Ginevra, but everyone just calls her Ginny,"_ said Luna.

" _Why haven't you told me about this, Padma?"_ asked Parvati.

" _Sorry, but with everything else that happened last evening I forgot."_

" _Daphne? You seem so thoughtful?"_ asked Luna.

" _When you mention this Ginny, it reminded me about something I wished to keep secret for a bit longer. But you'll find out anyway, so maybe I should tell you now."_

" _About what?"_ asked Padma.

" _I have a younger sister, Astoria. Like me, she has wild magic and will begin at Hogwarts next year."_ Daphne sighed. _"It will be a job and a half to explain the situation to her. Especially the part about pure-bloods and Muggles."_

" _You think she will have a problem with me?"_ said Hermione.

" _Yes. As I told you yesterday, we have been raised in the belief that Muggles don't deserve to have magic. That your kind was weak. But I saw it with my own eyes it can't be true. We have to find a way to convince my sister or her beliefs could be a major problem."_

" _She won't take your words for it?"_ asked Susan.

Daphne shook her head. _"Most of my family are rather headstrong, my sister included."_ She looked worried at Hermione. _"Are you good at duelling?"_

Hermione's mouth fell open, and her eyes blinked slowly. _"Duelling?"_

" _I guess the answer is no,"_ said Daphne.

" _Isn't duelling at the school forbidden?"_ asked Susan.

" _Yes, but it would be the fastest way of convincing Astoria,"_ said Daphne. _"Even if I tried explaining everything to her, it wouldn't be enough. I saw what Hermione did on the train, which made me question my beliefs. We need something similar to happen for my sister."_

" _A duel with your sister?"_ said Hermione now that she had recovered from the initial shock. Despite already knowing several spells, most of them weren't suited for use in a duel.

" _I'm afraid so. She will need a reason to question her own strength, just like me. It's the only way I can think of right now. The bad news is that she's great at duelling, but the good news is that I'm better."_

" _Are you saying what I think you're saying right now?"_ asked Padma.

Daphne smiled and put her arm around Hermione. _"Yes, I'll have to teach Hermione the art of duelling. But because Astoria has been practising since she was six, you will have to overwhelm her. If you can't, you'll lose. If the duel last for too long, her experience will give her the edge."_

" _Great,"_ said Hermione and pinched her nose. A headache had begun to form. _"We'll have to add it to our growing list of problems and sort it out as we go."_

" _Sure, but don't delay too long,"_ said Daphne. _"Learning how to duel isn't done over a weekend."_

" _Noted,"_ replied Hermione and sat down at the table. _"Let us first handle other questions. I think we all have some which require answers."_

Padma was the first to raise her hand. _"I want to know how you and Luna found us that night."_

How should Hermione answer this? Only she and Luna knew about the voice. Would telling the others be a mistake? _"I can tell you, but there is a chance you won't believe me."_

Padma sat down next to Hermione. _"I'm willing to give it a try. After all, you found my sister and me in a place we thought would be safe."_

" _Okay,"_ said Hermione and explained everything which happened that night when they found the Patil sisters. When she was done, everyone in the room was silent for several minutes.

" _I'm…not sure what I'm struggling to believe the most,"_ said Daphne. _"Hearing voices, Professor Quirrell's behaviour or Snape not giving you detention for breaking the rules."_

" _I'm willing to accept the voice and not getting detention. But your experience with Professor Quirrell scares me,"_ said Padma. _"We don't even have him as a teacher this year, so how did he know about us?"_

" _Maybe he didn't?"_ said Luna.

" _What do you mean he didn't? Quirrell was obviously looking for someone,"_ said Parvati.

" _Yes, but if he was after you two, why was he searching for you?"_ said Luna.

" _I don't understand?"_ said Padma.

" _Professor Quirrell is a teacher at Hogwarts. He doesn't need to sneak around at night if he knows who he's looking for. He could just have waited outside the entrance of your house until you left and followed,"_ explained Luna.

" _You're right,"_ said Daphne. _"But he didn't because he has no idea who he's looking for."_

" _Which raises another question. If Quirrell doesn't know, why is he looking at all? Unless we find out why, Quirrell could become a problem for us all,"_ said Hermione.

" _Do you mean that -"_ tried Daphne to say before Hermione interrupted her.

" _Yes. If Professor Quirrell doesn't know who he is looking for, all of us could be in danger."_

" _Do you think he can sense us or something?"_ asked Susan.

Hermione suddenly slammed her fists into the table, making the other girls jump. _"Of course. Quirrell can sense us or at least some of us,"_ said Hermione and looked at Luna. _"It's just like how we detected Ginny the first time, remember?"_

" _Magical disturbance? But then Quirrell must have wild magic also,"_ replied Luna.

" _True, but it's the only thing which makes sense. Padma and Parvati haven't finished their training and thus can be detected by someone with wild magic,"_ said Hermione.

" _But why don't we hear it?"_ asked Luna.

" _Hm, good question."_ Hermione turned towards the Patil sisters. _"How far are you from completing the exercise?"_

" _Uh, we have just started on the last step,"_ answered Padma.

" _That's it,"_ said Hermione and turned back to Luna. _"Ginny was missing several steps when we found her, and that's why we could hear her magic. Padma and Parvati are much closer to finishing, making it impossible for us to hear them. But I'm sure someone with more experience could."_

" _Like Professor Quirrell?"_ said Luna.

Hermione nodded.

" _Eh, could any of you two explain to the rest of us what you are talking about?"_ said Daphne.

" _Oh, sorry. Luna, you know this better than me. Can you tell them?"_

" _Sure,"_ said Luna and explained everything about magical disturbance to the others.

" _Okay,"_ said Padma when Luna had finished. _"How do we protect ourselves against this?"_

" _You need to finish your training,"_ answered Hermione. _"Although, it will only lower your chance of being detected. If the one searching for us have enough experience with their magic, they can probably still sense you if they get close enough."_

" _So Quirrell could still find any of us?"_ asked Parvati.

" _I don't believe he's strong enough. If he were, Quirrell would have sensed Luna and me that night. We were very close to him,"_ said Hermione.

" _Do you think Snape knows Quirrell has wild magic?"_ said Daphne.

" _Not sure. We could ask Snape, but even if he knew I don't think he would tell us,"_ answered Hermione.

" _You're probably right. He's not known for sharing,"_ replied Daphne.

" _For now, we should focus on finishing the training for those of you who need to do so. Also, try avoiding Quirrell if you can,"_ said Hermione. _"Parvati, I was told you had doubts about being with this group? I will not pressure you into staying, but splitting up wouldn't be a good idea right now."_

Parvati gave her sister a grumpy look. _"It's not that I don't want to be a part of this group, but I'm the only one from Gryffindor. Personally, I couldn't care less about the rivalry they have with Slytherin, but we know how Gryffindor dislike them. My problem is that others in my house already have been giving me the stink eye because they saw us yesterday. No one has accused me of anything yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happens."_

" _Can't your sister help you?"_ asked Susan.

" _Even if we're sisters, I don't have access to the Gryffindor tower,"_ replied Padma. _"McGonagall is much stricter on the rules on who's allowed inside then Flitwick is about the Ravenclaw tower."_

" _I was told the Heads of Houses knows about our magic. Can't we just explain the situation to McGonagall?"_ said Susan.

" _Not a good idea,"_ said Daphne. _"If McGonagall allows Padma to enter the Gryffindor tower, others would ask why they can't have their siblings inside as well. The school's teachers try to avoid having favourites among their students. Unless someone else in Gryffindor can help Parvati, she's alone."_

" _Hermione, can't we ask one of Ron's brothers? They know about us, which would make it easier to explain Parvati's problem,"_ said Luna.

It wasn't a bad idea, but who should they ask? Percy was the oldest among the Weasleys who was still a student, but Hermione and Luna had had little contact with him. Maybe Fred and George? The question was if they could be trusted with such a severe issue? Not to mention that Hermione still hadn't forgiven them. But on the other side, they owed her a massive favour. _"We could, but we would have to tell them about Parvati…and Padma as well. I'm not sure if that's something you would accept?"_

" _Who of Ron's brothers are we talking about?"_ asked Parvati.

" _Fred and George. They are well liked in Gryffindor, which means the other students would listen to them,"_ said Hermione.

" _Do you trust them?"_ said Parvati.

" _Besides Charlie and Bill, the twins are the ones who have helped Ginny the most, so yes, they are trustworthy,"_ answered Hermione. _"At least in this matter."_

" _Maybe we should tell them about all of us?"_ said Daphne. _"It would make it easier for them to understand why she's with us. If we don't, it could create some problematic situations later."_

" _It's a huge risk to take, but I agree,"_ said Hermione. _"Telling them the truth from the beginning will have them trust us more."_

" _But only if we all accept to do this,"_ said Daphne. _"Raise your hand for yes."_

All the girls raised their arm, although Parvati hesitated a bit at first before she joined the others.

" _Okay, I'll try to find them either tonight or tomorrow. I think we should use this room for the meeting with them,"_ said Hermione. _"Anything else you wish to ask about?"_

" _My sister and I have several questions, but it's getting late, and we still have homework,"_ said one of the Carrow twins.

" _Okay,"_ said Hermione. She still hadn't found a way to see the difference between Flora and Hestia. It had taken her several months with the Weasley twins to find out who was who. _"For those of you who need to finish your training, use this room. If you need help, Luna and I will try our best to give it."_

" _I can help also,"_ said Daphne. _"I finished my training only a few months before I began at Hogwarts."_

" _I wouldn't mind having some help,"_ said Susan. _"I still have two steps to finish, and I don't want Quirrell to find me. Hermione, when did you and Luna complete these exercises?"_

" _Some time ago,"_ answered Hermione shortly as she stood up. Telling them how early she and Luna had finished would feel like bragging, so she preferred not to say anything. Too bad Luna didn't share Hermione's view.

" _It was for about five years ago,"_ said Luna.

The others now stared with huge eyes at the two girls.

" _Five…five years ago?"_ managed Daphne at last to say. _"You can't have been more than 6-7 years old?"_

" _Hermione was almost 7, while I was halfway between 6 and 7,"_ continued Luna.

" _How did you two manage it in such a short time?"_ asked Padma.

Hermione wasn't happy talking about this, but Luna had let the cat out of the bag. _"The exercises are about gaining control over our feelings and make them more stable when we use magic. Luna is a natural talent with understanding other peoples behaviour and emotions. She found the key on how to succeed, and we went through the exercises in a short time. We thought it was a reasonable pace until we met Ginny."_

" _Dumbledore also helped us,"_ added Luna.

" _True, but I'm still wondering why he spent so much time on us alone,"_ said Hermione.

" _Isn't that a good thing? Having Dumbledore to help you?"_ asked Susan.

" _Yes,"_ said Hermione. _"But when we met Ginny, we discovered how little time Dumbledore had used on her as opposed to us. While he visited us almost every week, Ginny did perhaps see Dumbledore every second or third month. Like he didn't care."_

" _He only came at our house every 2 or 3 months also, but we believed it was normal,"_ said Daphne.

" _Why did he use so much more time on the two of you?"_

" _It's something we also wonder about,"_ said Hermione.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

 **Later that evening at the Headmasters office.**

Dumbledore stepped into his office, pulled off his heavy and wet cloak before hanging it over the chair. That's when he noticed someone standing in the semi-darkness on the balcony, staring at him.

" _I didn't expect to see you today,"_ said Dumbledore and sat down in his chair.

A short, elderly woman with grey hair, dressed in the same olive green robe she always wore came down the stair. _"And I didn't expect you to be outside in this weather,"_ said Maya.

" _It's just a small storm. It should be over before the sun rises again,"_ replied Dumbledore. _"What can I help you with today?"_

" _You don't sound happy,"_ said Maya when sitting down in the chair at the front of Dumbledore's desk.

" _It's not easy to have happy thoughts when the situation is beginning to get out of control."_

" _What's out of control?"_

Dumbledore groaned. _"Let us begin with the sorting. Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood ended up in the same house."_

" _That's good."_

" _But when Miss Granger was sitting there, she bonded with the schools old magic and made it shook slightly."_

" _That's not good and somewhat worrying."_

" _Oh, it gets worse,"_ said Dumbledore. _"Do you remember the advice you gave me? The one where I shouldn't tell the girls about each other before after a particular time? The one I told the other professors without saying it was your idea?"_

" _Yes. It would be best if the girls' had some time for themselves here before learning about the others like them,"_ replied Maya. Her usual stone face now showed clear signs of uncertainty.

" _You should be happy to know that Snape brought them together yesterday."_

Maya's stone face cracked. _"WHAT!"_

" _Before you shout at Severus, you need to understand that he had no other choice. I didn't like it to begin with either, but after he explained his reason for this, I believe he did the right thing,"_ said Dumbledore and told Maya everything Snape had said the night before.

" _This is very…unexpected,"_ said Maya after having calmed down again.

" _Do you know how Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood do this?"_ asked Dumbledore.

" _It must be some ancient magic, but I don't know what or where they learned that."_

" _Maybe if you spoke with them and -"_

" _No!"_ nearly shouted Maya again.

It was deadly silent at the Headmaster's office now while Dumbledore and Maya stared at each other. It lasted until Maya asked, _"Haven't you wondered why I don't show myself for the girls? Why it seems like I come and go at the exact time when they can't lay their eyes on me? Why I'm using people like you and Grindelwald instead of doing things myself?"_

" _Of course I have been thinking about this, but I guess you have your reasons as always?"_

" _Yes, but it's not because I'm vain or lazy,"_ said Maya. _"The truth is…"_ She stopped, contemplating the words she wished to use. _"I told you I returned the wands to Emmet Ollivander in 487, yes?"_

Dumbledore nodded.

" _What I didn't tell you was how close it was for me to not being able to do this. I couldn't just go and pick up the wands from the ground,"_ said Maya. _"After the rather tragic incident, the remaining ones didn't meet me with open arms. They would have preferred to kill me, something I can't blame them for wanting. Some of the choices I made back then was in their eyes the main reason for what happened to their leaders."_ Maya looked shameful into her hands. _"Perhaps it was my fault, completely or partly. Even today I'm not sure if it's true."_ The old woman raised her head and once again her intense eyes stared at Dumbledore with newfound energy. _"But I had to get those wands! Without them, everything would be for nothing and my sister's death would have been such a waste! So I walked back, went down on my knees and begged them to return the wands."_

" _I assume it wasn't easy for them?"_ asked Dumbledore.

" _No, it wasn't easy for any of us. If it hadn't been for her, I would have died that day. She was now the leader of the remaining ones and the only who understood the importance of my request. I could see how her heartbreaking grief plagued her, but she persuaded the others to give me the wands."_

" _Did you ever see them again?"_ asked Dumbledore.

" _Only at a distance. She never said it with words, but her eyes told me everything I needed to know. I could never return. If I had, my fate would have been even worse than the one he got. Their revenge on him was the last I heard about them. After that, they vanished from history."_ Maya stood up and turned around to leave, but her last words were, _"We don't speak their old names because it could be dangerous. Showing myself for them would be worse. Their hatred for me can have unprecedented consequences. Especially after what you told me about Hermione. Keep an eye on her."_ With that, Maya marched over the floor and disappeared out the door.

Dumbledore sat there motionless, thinking about what the old woman had told him. It wasn't until someone knocked on the door that the Hogwarts Headmaster moved and said, _"Enter."_

" _Headmaster,"_ said the man who entered the office.

" _Good evening, Severus. What can I help you with?"_

" _I saw Maya leaving the castle. Was it just an informal visit or did she have anything special on her heart?"_

Dumbledore didn't answer him at first but pulled out an envelope from a drawer on his desk. _"I never thought I should say this, but it seems like my 'old friend' was right."_

" _Are we talking about Grindelwald?"_

Dumbledore nodded and read from the letter. _"Secrets and lies. We all share these qualities. We did it in the past, and we do it in the present, but will we in the future? None of us trusts the others or ourselves enough to tell the truth to those who need it the most. Perhaps because we believe we have the control?"_

" _Have we? I mean, lost the control?"_ asked Snape.

" _I'm not sure, but things are happening faster than what we expected."_ He stuck his arm inside the robe and pulled out a long, silver necklace with a spherical pendant made of silver threads. With skilled fingers, he split the pendant in two. From the inside, a black ball with thin, green stripes rolled out and across the desk. When it hit a book at the edge, it cracked and turned into fine dust in front of the two men's eyes.

" _Does this mean…"_

" _Yes, Severus. The stone in the Forbidden Forest has woken up."_

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

 **The Great Hall, Early in the morning, Thursday, 05th September. 1991.**

Padma Patil sat down at the Ravenclaw table and let out a huge yawn. _"I'm not sure if I ever going to get used to waking up this early. Hermione, did you find the Weasley twins?"_

" _No. I looked around the castle after we split up yesterday, but didn't see them."_

" _Oh, okay. Are we going to tell them tonight?"_

" _If I get the chance to speak with them alone, yes,"_ said Hermione. Finding Fred and George outside of classes and meals wouldn't be easy. Ginny had told Hermione about the twins' fascination for finding secret rooms and pathways at Hogwarts. Not because they had any historical interest in the school, but knowing these places helped them with their pranks.

" _They just came inside the hall,"_ said Luna.

Hermione looked over to the double doors leading into the Great Hall and saw Fred and George heading towards the Gryffindor table. They sat down at the end closest to the teacher's table, keeping the distance from the others in their house. If Hermione would have guessed, they were planning a new prank and didn't want anyone to hear the details. _"Wait here,"_ said Hermione and left her seat. She walked over to where the twins were and sat down on the opposite side.

" _Good morning, Hermione. I'm not sure if we should be ready to soil our trousers -"_ said Fred.

" _\- or be glad to see you,"_ finished George.

" _I'm here to give you a chance to make up for what you did to Luna,"_ said Hermione.

" _Oh!"_ said the twins.

" _And before you say anything, no! It's not going to be something simple or done in one evening,"_ said Hermione.

Fred, who usually was smiling most of the time, now put on his serious face. _"Is it about You-Know-What?"_

Hermione nodded.

" _Are you or Luna in trouble?"_ asked George.

" _Not sure, but that's not why I have come here."_ Hermione stood up from the seat and said, _"Meet me at the Grand Staircase after dinner if you wish to do this."_

" _Are you not going to tell us what we have to do -"_

" _\- or at least give us a hint?"_

" _Come or don't. It's your choice,"_ said Hermione and left the twins.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

The girl's classes before lunch passed by without any trouble. Having all the first-years in the massive classroom during their Care of Magical Creatures theory could have become a real mess. Charlie, however, made sure all the students focused on the subject the whole time. Being the youngest teacher at Hogwarts could have made it difficult to get the students' respect, but Charlie seemed to know exactly how to handle them.

The following double lesson in Charms with Gryffindor was just as uneventful. The most surprising thing was when Ron and Harry sat down next to the girl's as usual. Hermione had expected Ron to pick a seat far away from her after their quarrel. He probably didn't because it meant he would have to explain the reason to Harry. But Ron couldn't do this without telling the truth about his sister, which would mean the end of his life. Ron's fear of Ginny's magic was nothing against how scared he was for his mother. If anything happened to Ginny and Ron was to blame, Molly would chase him to the end of the world. So instead of explaining all this to Harry, Ron swallowed his pride and pretended nothing had happened. But Hermione knew this couldn't continue. It was only a question of time before Ron would have had enough of this tiptoeing around the issue. Once again, a problem they would need to solve soon.

After lunch, they had a double lesson in History of Magic, another subject Hermione had been looking forward to. There was just one problem. Professor Binns! As the only ghost to teach at Hogwarts, you would believe he had a vast knowledge of the magical history. He did! But instead of telling in a vivid and enthusiastic way, Binns turned out to be the most boring history teacher you could imagine. When he started to explain Hogwarts history, Binns voice was so monotonous that you could have mistaken him for a vacuum cleaner. After some time, most of the students dozed off where they sat. But where other teachers would have reprimanded them, professor Binns didn't seem to care. He instead proceeded to explain in the same tone of what seemed like a never-ending stream of information.

Halfway through the lesson, Hermione noticed she also was on the brink of falling to sleep. For the first time since coming to Hogwarts, she wanted a class to end…now! Hermione looked to her left and saw the Patil sisters had given up staying awake. Both of them were sleeping on top of their books. In front of the sisters sat Ron and Harry. Ron had, like the sisters, surrendered to Binns voice. Harry was still awake, but he wasn't doing much better than the others. His body swung from side to side where he was sitting. Hermione guessed it would only be a matter of a minute or two before Harry joined Ron in the dreamland. _"Luna, do you -"_ whispered Hermione, but a swift look at the blonde girl revealed that not even Luna had resisted the dull voice of the professor. For the rest of the class, Hermione did her best to stay awake in case Binns said anything she didn't know about Hogwarts. But after having read 'Hogwarts: A History' so many times, Binns lecture didn't reveal any new knowledge.

After History of Magic finally was over, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor went separate ways for their last class of the day. When the Ravenclaw students entered the training grounds, Hermione felt as if she had swallowed a whole swarm of butterflies. On wooden tables inside the area lay the one thing she feared most of all at the school. Broomsticks! The idea of sitting on one and hovering about the ground didn't tempt at all.

When all the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuffs had arrived, Madam Hooch placed herself in front of the tables. _"Welcome to your first flying class. Today we will learn how to maintain a broomstick and what injuries you need to look for which makes them dangerous to use."_

Knowing they wouldn't fly today made Hermione relax, and her butterflies vanished.

" _We're not flying today?"_ asked Wayne Hopkins.

" _Not today,"_ answered Hooch. _"But next week we will learn how to command the broomstick and how to make it hover above the ground."_

And there the butterflies returned…with friends. Hermione wished she could drop this subject, but it was obligatory for every first-year. All Hermione could do was getting through the class as effectively as possible. Do what she had to and nothing more.

Later was Hermione and Luna working on a broomstick together. Hermione was looking for cracks in the wood when Luna got close to the brunette and whispered, _"Why are you afraid of flying?"_

" _I'm not sure."_ Hermione looked at the broom in front of her, trying to understand where her fear of flying came from. _"Maybe it's because of Ginny and her brothers?"_

" _Their Quidditch training?"_

Hermione nodded. _"When I saw how fast they were moving and the manoeuvres they performed, it felt…frightening."_

" _No one is expecting you to fly as a Quidditch player,"_ said Luna and squeezed Hermione's hand. _"Flying on a broomstick can be rather relaxing. The view you get from the air is wonderful."_

" _It sounds like you already have tried?"_

" _A few times. My mother taught me the basic, but I've only been flying solo once."_ Luna looked dreamy against the sky. _"When you're up there, seeing into the far distance with only the sound of the wind as your company, it feels relaxing. You shouldn't fear it, but embrace the experience."_

" _When you say it like that, it sounds wonderful."_ Hermione looked at Luna, pushed away a few strands of hair from the girl's eyes and smiled. _"Although, I don't think words alone will make me fly without fear."_

" _No, but I hoped they would encourage you to at least try."_

" _Perhaps,"_ said Hermione and returned her focus back on the broomstick.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

" _Why this secrecy?"_ asked Fred.

" _Secrecy?"_ responded Hermione. She had just met up with the twins after dinner and was now leading them to the room.

" _Yes, why didn't you just tell us where the room was, and we could have met you there?"_ asked George.

" _It's a surprise."_

" _Normally we like surprises -"_

" _\- but not when it comes to You-Know-What."_

Hermione didn't bother to answer. They were now on the last stretch and could see the door at the end of the corridor. She stopped right next to it and used the key to unlock it before turning back to the twins. _"For your information, you can only open the door with one of these keys. And there's no point in trying to steal one as they only work for us."_

" _Steal one? Do you think we would do such a thing?"_ said Fred with a grin.

" _After what Ginny told me about you two, it wouldn't surprise me,"_ replied Hermione.

George laughed. _"Betrayed by our own sister."_

Hermione opened the door and let the Weasley twins inside. At first, they were astonished by the room, but soon realised they weren't alone in there. On the balcony, seven pairs of eyes were watching the boys. Some worried, others were uncertain.

" _So this is the witch coven we have heard rumours about?"_ said Fred.

" _Witch coven?"_ said Hermione when she closed the door.

George looked surprised at Hermione. _"You don't know what a witch -"_

" _I know what a witch coven is, but wasn't aware they had given us a name,"_ replied Hermione.

" _Neither did I, but I like it,"_ said Daphne as she walked down from the balcony.

" _Only a few students knows…yet,"_ said George. _"But it won't take long before it has spread to the rest of the school."_

'Great,' thought Hermione. How long before their parents found out? Witch covens wasn't a common thing in the magical world any longer. After Grindelwald's defeat, such groups were seen as a potential meeting place for dark magic users. A belief the subsequent war against You-Know-Who's Death Eaters had reinforced. Traditionally, a coven consisted of only witches and wouldn't have more than thirteen members. So neither Grindelwald's or You-Know-Who's supporters had anything to do with a coven. But it didn't matter for the general population. Thanks to those two dark wizards, any group today who hadn't been approved by the Ministry was looked on with suspicious eyes.

" _What the rumours didn't say was that you are from all the houses,"_ said Fred.

" _Do you have a problem with that?"_ asked Daphne.

Fred looked at Daphne, then the Carrow twins. _"If you think about the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin, not so much."_

" _But on the Quidditch field, yes,"_ added George.

" _That rivalry is the reason I asked you to come,"_ said Hermione.

" _Oh?"_ said Fred. He looked at Daphne again. _"Are there someone in Gryffindor who is bothering you?"_

Daphne laughed. _"They can try. But no, I'm not the one who is having a problem with Gryffindor."_

" _Okay, I'm confused now,"_ said George.

" _Want to explain, Hermione?"_ asked Fred.

" _Daphne is right. Parvati?"_

The Gryffindor girl came down from the balcony and stood next to Hermione.

" _Because Parvati is the only Gryffindor in our group, she feels a bit vulnerable,"_ explained Hermione. _"Their rivalry towards Slytherin makes them suspicious of why Parvati is spending her time with Slytherins. So I'm asking the two of you to keep an eye on Parvati in her first year when she's inside the Gryffindor tower. Of course, within reasons since you don't have access to the girls' dormitory."_

" _Why us?"_ asked Fred.

" _You're well liked in Gryffindor, which make the other students listen and respect what you have to say,"_ said Hermione.

" _That might be true,"_ said George. The smile on his face was gone now as he looked over all the girls. _"But I have the feeling that's not the whole reason? Why only the first year? Do you think the other Gryffindors will leave Parvati alone later?"_

Hermione shook her head. _"Doubt it, but Ginny is beginning at Hogwarts next year and will be able to support Parvati from there."_

" _I don't get it,"_ said Fred. _"I know you and Luna have spent a lot of time with her the last year, but I don't think Ginny is so fond of the Slytherins."_

" _I know, but I'm sure she will make an exception in this case,"_ said Hermione.

The Weasley twins looked surprised at each other.

" _Maybe just tell them already?"_ said Daphne. _"Otherwise we could be staying here the whole evening before they understand."_

This was the part Hermione had dreaded. _"Fine. The reason why I think Ginny will make an exception are because she doesn't have much of choice."_

" _Are you going to force her with..."_ George stopped mid-sentence and looked worried at Hermione.

" _No, I'm not going to force Ginny,"_ answered Hermione. _"She will do it because she's like me, and Luna, and Parvati, and everyone else in this room except for you two."_

At last, the Weasley twins realised the truth as their shocked faces looked around in the room.

" _You're joking, right?"_ asked Fred. _"I mean, all of you can't…"_

" _But, Dumbledore said -"_ said George, but was interrupted by Hermione.

" _Forget what Dumbledore said. He is lying."_

" _This is insane,"_ said Fred. _"Eight of you in the same generation. How?"_

" _Actually, with Ginny and my sister next year there will be ten of us,"_ said Daphne.

" _I think I need to sit down,"_ said George. He pulled out a chair and sat down at the table.

" _If Dumbledore didn't tell how many there was of you, how did you find each other?"_ asked Fred.

Hermione spent the next minutes explaining as much as she could to the Weasley twins.

" _So you did find them in the same way you found Ginny?"_ asked George after Hermione's explanation.

Hermione nodded. _"Except for Flora and Hestia, yes."_

" _And Dumbledore gave you access to this room?"_ continued George.

Hermione nodded again.

" _And Snape has been helping you?"_ asked Fred.

For the third time, Hermione nodded.

The room was quiet for a long time until Fred broke the silence. _"What do you think we should do, George?"_

George shook his head. _"We don't have much of choice, do we? If we don't help them, Ginny will suffer because we didn't. We're trapped."_

Fred grinned. _"It would be challenging, but also fun."_

" _Right!"_ George stood up from his chair and put his arm on Parvati's shoulder. _"I hereby swear on the Weasley family's honour that I'll be your white knight as long as you need me."_

Shortly after had Fred repeated the same oath.

Hermione was glad that the twins had accepted to help them, but she had a growing feeling that the worst part wasn't over yet.

" _Hermione, just one question?"_ asked George.

" _Yes?"_

" _How much of this does Ron know about?"_

Hermione sighed. _"Nothing more than what he already knew before Hogwarts."_

" _Are you going to tell him?"_ asked Fred.

" _One day, but not yet."_ Until she knew how close Ron's friendship with Harry was, she couldn't afford to tell Ron anything.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

 **Unknown location in Diagon Alley, Near Midnight, Thursday, 05th September. 1991.**

Inside a dark building in Diagon Alley, two people in hooded robes looked out through a dirty window.

" _Any news?"_ asked a male voice.

" _No,"_ answered a female voice. _"She's hiding her plans well. But we never expected she would make it easy for us."_

The man groaned. _"That filthy traitor. Why can't she accept the truth like the rest of us?"_

The woman pointed out the window into the nearly empty street. _"She has always had too much faith in them."_

" _Does it change our goal?"_

" _No,"_ answered the woman. _"We still want her alive. Traitor or not, she deserves a last chance to join us and be a part of what she created."_

" _And if she does not?"_

" _Then she will die, just like her sister."_

" _What about them? What if they return?"_

The woman shook her head. _"I doubt they will. It's been almost 1500 years since the last time we heard about them. After what happened, I believe they passed on into the eternal ocean."_

" _Let us hope so,"_ answered the man. _"It would be a hassle if they returned."_


	8. Chapter 8

**Hogwarts corridors, Mid-day, before lunch, Friday, 06th September. 1991.**

" _WEEKEND!"_ shouted Padma through the corridor.

The Ravenclaws had just left their last class for the week, and most of the students were looking forward to a couple of days without school.

" _Enjoy it while you can,"_ said Daphne. _"They will add more classes each year to come. My mother once told me about her sixth and seventh year. They were spending so much time on their schoolwork she almost forgot how the sun looked like."_

" _You must be fun at parties,"_ said Padma and gave Daphne a friendly hug.

" _I'm just realistic."_ Daphne looked around, making sure they were alone. _"Hermione, shall we meet in the room today?"_

" _Unless there's something you wish to discuss, I thought we should take a day off."_

" _Nothing special, just wondered,"_ said Daphne.

" _I haven't visited the library since we came to Hogwarts,"_ said Hermione. She wanted to start her research on wild magic as soon as possible. Dumbledore was hiding something from them, and she wanted to know what and why. _"So that's what I wish to do today."_

" _But first you have to keep your promise to me,"_ said Luna.

Hermione could feel the others curious look on her. _"It's nothing special. Luna and I normally take a walk each day, but so much has happened the last week that we haven't had a chance yet. So I promised Luna a long walk along the lake after lunch."_

" _The sun is shining today so it will be lovely,"_ said Luna.

" _Well, enjoy. Maybe I'll look at the library myself later today,"_ said Daphne.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

After lunch, Hermione and Luna went to the Ravenclaw tower to put away their books. Around ten minutes later, they stepped out of the gate in the clock tower. They walked across the courtyard and stopped at the beginning of the wooden bridge which crossed a vast ravine. Hagrid's hut was visible on the other side at the bottom of a slope, while the massive Forbidden Forest folded itself out behind it. Luna pulled Hermione with her across the bridge.

" _I thought we were going to the lake?"_ said Hermione.

" _We shall. I spoke with Hagrid yesterday,"_ replied Luna. _"He told me there is a path near his hut, which leads to the lake's shore."_

After crossing the bridge, the two girls moved down the slope towards Hagrid's hut. About halfway, Hermione halted and stared into the forest.

" _What's wrong?"_ asked Luna.

" _I thought I heard someone whispering my name."_ Hermione walked closer to the edge of the forest and pointed between the trees. _"I believe it came from somewhere in there."_

" _Was it 'her'?"_

Hermione shook her head. _"I don't think so. It was different but…also familiar."_

" _In what way?"_

" _I'm…not sure. The closest thing would be like a déjà vu."_ Hermione stepped closer to the trees, hoping to hear the whisper again. But she only found chirping birds and the smell of fresh dew from last night's rain.

" _Hey, yeh two. Yeh're not allowed inside the forest,"_ roared a voice out over the landscape.

The two girls turned around and saw Hagrid standing outside the entrance of his hut. They jogged away from the forest and over to the half-giant.

" _Sorry, Hagrid. We weren't going to enter the forest,"_ said Luna and looked at Hermione. _"Hermione thought she-"_

" _I thought there was a Unicorn between the trees,"_ interrupted Hermione.

" _Oh! Well, I guess I can' blame yeh fer being bewitched by 'em,"_ said Hagrid. _"The Unicorns are one o' the most majestic creatures in the forest. But yeh shouldn' go near the trees alone. There are others an' far more dangerous creatures inside there."_

" _Thanks for the warning, Hagrid,"_ said Hermione.

" _Anyway, now tha' yeh're here. Wan' some tea an' cakes?"_ asked Hagrid.

" _Thanks for the offer, but -"_

" _Yes, that would be delicious,"_ said Luna.

Hermione looked at the blonde girl, wondering about the girl's reason for abandoning their walk. Was it the tea or that Luna and Hagrid shared an interest in magical creatures? For a moment, Hermione felt jealous of the attention Luna gave others. In the last couple of days, Hermione had avoided feeling so overprotective for the blonde girl. Was the brunette about to fall back into her old habits again?

When they entered the hut, they noticed right away they weren't alone. In one of the wide chairs inside sat of all people Harry and Ron. They seemed surprised at seeing the two girls, but when Hermione's and Ron's eyes met, his face soured in no time. The two girls took place in another chair where they were given a teacup each.

" _Help yourself with rock cakes. I've made them myself,"_ said Hagrid, pointing towards a plate on the table. He filled the girls' cups with warm water before going back to the fireplace to warm more.

After taking a cake and trying to bite into it, Hermione wondered if she by mistake had picked up a real rock. But when realising it was the actual cake, Hermione pretended it tasted good so she wouldn't offend Hagrid.

" _Now, where were we?"_ said Hagrid. _"Ah, yes. Harry, yeh said summat abou' Snape bein' rude to your cousin?"_

Harry nodded. _"Yes. Snape seems to enjoy picking on Dudley every chance he gets. It's true that Dudley can be slow with learning magic, but considering who his parents are, I can't blame him."_

" _Yeah. Your mother spoke o' them when I visited yeh the last time,"_ said Hagrid. _"Lily almost had to threaten them before they understood how important it was fer Dudley to begin at Hogwarts. They sound like some blockheads if yeh ask me."_

" _Well, that's why my mother told me to help Dudley while he was here,"_ said Harry.

" _How is he doing?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Better now than the first couple of days. He and Neville have become good friends."_ Harry stood up and walked over to the window and looked outside. _"But if Snape continues to blame Dudley for everything, it won't matter how many friends my cousin has because he won't be able to finish even the first year."_

" _Is Dudley struggling because of what his parents said about magic?"_ asked Luna while she was scratching a drooling Fang.

Harry turned around and nodded. _"Yes. All these years with telling him how magic was the devil's work have scared him. The day we were at Ollivanders to get Dudley's wand showed me how terrified he is of magic. Do you remember the feeling you got when the wand chose you?"_

Hermione and Luna just looked at each other for a moment before they both nodded at Harry. There was no reason to tell the boy that their experience had been anything but ordinary. Although, even Hermione could see that Harry had noticed the girls delayed response before he continued.

" _When the wand chose Dudley, it frightened him so much that Dudley dropped the wand and ran out of the store. My mother had to drag him back inside and spend several minutes explaining that what he had felt wasn't dangerous."_ Harry walked back to the chair but didn't sit down. _"After that episode, Dudley stayed at our house until it was time to go to Hogwarts. My mother used most of the remaining days to prepare my cousin as much as she could. It wasn't perfect, but at least Dudley isn't a danger to himself or others any more."_

" _But Snape's treatment of your cousin is undoing your mother's work?"_ said Luna.

" _Yes,"_ said Harry with a nod. _"I sent a message to my mother with Hedwig during lunch that day and told her about what was going on. Received a message back that she would come tomorrow and sort things out."_

" _Why tomorrow? Considering how bad the situation is, why not the same day?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Because of her work. I'm sure you already have been told whom my mother is?"_

" _Yes, we heard about her at the sorting,"_ answered Hermione. _"She's an Auror at the Ministry of Magic."_

" _True,"_ said Harry. _"She and Alastor Moody were the greatest Aurors during the war. But Moody spends most of his time training new recruits these days, so my mother is doing most of the fieldwork. And since she had to take time off because of Dudley, she's now working long hours to catch up."_

" _It can't be healthy, neither for body nor mind, working so much?"_ said Luna.

Harry clenched his fists. _"I guess not, but it's the life she has chosen. At least, it's what she keeps telling herself."_

Now Hermione understood why Harry wasn't smiling so much and why people thought he was like his mother. Hermione jumped up from her chair, walked up to Harry and gave him a comforting hug. Everyone in the room seemed surprised by Hermione's reaction, Harry included, but the brunette didn't care for once. Because she knew how it was to lose one of your parents and how it affected those who were left behind.

Later, the four students said goodbye to Hagrid and walked back to the school. When they reached the end of the wooden bridge near the courtyard in front of the clock tower, Harry stopped. He pulled out a piece of paper from a pocket on his robe and folded it out.

" _What's that?"_ asked Ron. It was the first words he had spoken since the girls entered Hagrid's hut.

" _I found it under a tea cosy on Hagrid's table,"_ replied Harry. The piece of paper turned out to be a cutting from the Daily Prophet.

 _'GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST._

 _Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches unknown._

 _Gringotts' goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day._

' _But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you,' said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon.'_

" _31st July? It's the same day we were in the Diagon Alley,"_ said Hermione.

" _Why would Hagrid be interested in a robbery at Gringotts?"_ asked Ron.

Harry put the paper back into his pocket. _"Because I think he was the one who emptied the vault which had a break-in."_

" _How do you know?"_ asked Hermione.

" _When my mother and I went to Gringotts that day, we met Hagrid inside the bank. He joined us when we travelled down to the vaults. We stopped at vault seven hundred and thirteen where the goblin opened a door with heavy protection. Inside, I could see it contained only a tiny package which Hagrid quickly picked up. I asked him what it was, but he said it would be best if I didn't know."_

" _It doesn't prove that it was that vault they tried to rob,"_ said Hermione. _"There must be more than thousands of vaults under Gringotts. Any of these could have been the target of the thief."_

" _You're right, but I have a feeling it was vault seven hundred and thirteen,"_ said Harry. _"Why else would Hagrid have this cutting on his table? I don't think he even has his own vault, so why would a break-in at Gringotts interest him at all?"_

" _What do you think was inside the package?"_ asked Luna.

Harry shrugged on his shoulders. _"I don't know. Could be anything."_

" _If we assume that's the vault which had a break-in, it feels odd that Hagrid removed the package the same day,"_ said Hermione. _"It could be just a coincidence or…"_

" _Or what?"_ said Harry.

Hermione pondered on her thoughts for a bit. Should she keep her theory for herself or tell Harry about it? Why did it matter to Hermione if the boy went searching for the truth about the package? She had after all her own important problems to solve. _"Or Hagrid knew someone would try to steal the package. Which is why he picked it up that day."_

" _It must have been Dumbledore,"_ muttered Harry.

" _Dumbledore who broke into the vault?"_ said Ron.

" _No,"_ replied Harry. _"As I said, Hagrid doesn't have a reason to store anything at Gringotts. But Dumbledore would and since Hagrid are loyal to the Headmaster, it wouldn't surprise me if Hagrid were at Gringotts on Dumbledore's orders. It's the only thing which makes sense."_

" _So what will you do about it?"_ asked Hermione.

" _Nothing,"_ said Harry. _"I don't know what's in the package or where it is now. And even if I knew the answer to both questions, it wouldn't be my problem. I promised my mother to stay out of trouble here at Hogwarts, and that's what I'm going to do."_

" _Too bad, it could have been a great adventure trying to find the package,"_ said Ron and headed for the clock tower gate. _"Harry, are you coming? It's almost dinner, and my stomach demands something better than Hagrid's cakes."_

" _Sure, go ahead. I'll meet you there later. Just need to do something first."_ Harry waited until Ron had entered the castle before turning towards Hermione. _"Hermione, is there a problem between you and Ron."_

" _Why do you think there is a problem?"_

" _When your mother is an Auror, you can't avoid picking up some tricks here and there. The last couple of days, Ron has acted strangely, as if he's trying to avoid you at all cost."_ Harry smiled. _"Listen, if you have an issue with Ron, I'm not going to interfere. But, I wouldn't mind having some understanding of the problem. I've tried to ask Ron, but he refuses to say anything. He's one of my few friends at Gryffindor, and it's not fun being around Ron without knowing what's bothering him."_

" _Ron and I argued because he didn't like who my friends are,"_ said Hermione with a sigh.

" _I don't understand, why is this a problem for Ron?"_

" _Because he doesn't like Slytherin and three of my friends are from that house,"_ answered Hermione.

" _Hm, that's a silly reason for him to be angry at you,"_ said Harry.

" _You don't have a problem with Slytherin?"_ asked Luna.

Harry shook his head. _"Before I came to Hogwarts, my mother gave me one advice. Don't judge others because of their house. Being in Slytherin doesn't mean your evil or being a Gryffindor doesn't make you a saint."_

" _But you have been arguing with Draco Malfoy, and he's a Slytherin?"_ said Hermione.

" _Yes, but it has nothing to do with his house. I probably would have been bickering with him even if he had been in Gryffindor,"_ answered Harry and chuckled. _"Can I ask who your Slytherin friends are?"_

Hermione could have refused to answer, but it would only be a matter of time before Harry found out anyway. _"Hestia and Flora Carrow, and Daphne Greengrass."_

Harry was astonished when he heard the names. _"No offence, but for a Muggle to have friends from the Greengrass and Carrow families is unexpected."_

" _Why?"_ asked Hermione.

" _They are among some of the oldest pure-blood families, which means they aren't exactly first in line to support Muggles. Although they aren't as bad as the Malfoy family,"_ said Harry. _"But I believe there were a couple of people from the Carrow family who fought with You-Know-Who during the war."_

" _So they are in Azkaban now?"_ asked Luna.

" _Don't think so,"_ answered Harry. _"My mother was part of the group who captured them, but the evidence wasn't good enough. The Ministry for Magic had to let them go. I assume they haven't told you about that?"_

" _No,"_ said Hermione. When thinking about it, she knew very little about the others. How was she supposed to lead the group with so little knowledge about them? _"Hestia and Flora don't say much at all. Maybe they're just shy or unsure what to say."_

" _Maybe. Well, I should go to the Great Hall before Ron wonders where I am. See you later,"_ said Harry and crossed the courtyard.

" _I'm surprised,"_ whispered Luna. _"On the train, you almost wanted to throw Harry out the window. But today, not only did you comfort him because of what he felt about his mother, but you were able to talk with him without yelling."_

" _You saw Ron and Harry inside Hagrid's hut, didn't you? And you expected this could happen?"_

Luna looked over the railing on the bridge and down into the ravine. _"Yes, I saw them behind Hagrid. But I wasn't sure what would happen."_

Hermione placed herself next to the blonde girl. _"Then why did you accept Hagrid's invitation?"_

" _I'm not proud of what I did to Ron, even if he deserved it. Maybe I hoped there was a way to become friends again."_

Hermione sighed. _"I'm not sure if it's worth it. Even if Ron and I sorted out our current problems, new ones would be around the corner."_

" _It's true your personalities isn't a perfect match, which will continue to brew conflicts between you."_ Luna rested her head on Hermione's shoulder. _"But life wasn't meant to be a stroll on roses. If your arguments with Ron is the worst of our experiences the next years, we are indeed lucky."_

" _Ron is stubborn, prideful and doesn't always think through things before he speaks,"_ said Hermione. _"Besides, I can't do much this time. He doesn't like my friendship with the Slytherins or is comfortable with our magic. I cannot change his views on any of these things, only Ron himself can."_

" _But we promised Ginny to look after him."_

Hermione sighed. _"Yes, I know. It's the only reason why I haven't dropped him out of my existence yet."_ The two girls continued to stare down into the ravine for several minutes before Hermione said, _"Come. Let's get some dinner."_

" _Sure,"_ replied Luna.

When the girls crossed the courtyard, neither of them realised someone had been watching them. At the other end of the bridge, a tall figure stood just out of sight, staring after the two girls when they disappeared inside the clock tower. With two fingers, he touched his ear and removed the listening magic he had been using. _"You should listen to that girl, Hermione,"_ he mumbled to himself. _"In this treacherous world of ours, Luna is one of the few you can trust."_ He then disappareted with a small pop.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

After a good dinner, Hermione wished to visit the library. It was the one thing she had been looking forward to since she sat on the train. But the last week's events had stolen too much of her time. When she, at last, could step inside the doorway, the waiting time proved to be worth every second. Hogwarts library was enormous with countless bookcases, most of them up to 12 foot tall on both the floor and the balcony. The books were in all sizes and shapes. Along one wall, Hermione could see books which were nearly 1 1/2 foot tall and so thick it would be impossible to grip them with one hand alone. In another bookcase nearby, the books were so tiny you could easily put them inside a wallet. The sheer amounts and differences between every book were why Hermione loved them so much.

" _Does the look in your eyes means what I think?"_ teased Luna.

Hermione pretended she didn't understand what the blonde said.

" _Don't play stupid with me as we both know you aren't,"_ said Luna and gave the brunette a nudge in her side. _"If I have to, I'll drag you back to the Great Hall for food no matter how much you scream and kick."_

" _Hopefully, you won't have to go to such lengths."_

Luna chuckled. _"Maybe not, but you have been warned now. So, where shall we begin?"_

" _Hm, I want to check on something in the Charm section first."_

" _Oh?"_

" _I know what you're thinking, but this has nothing to do with that at all,"_ said Hermione. _"Since the train journey, there's a question which has bothered me a lot."_

" _And which one is that?"_ said a voice behind the girls.

Hermione and Luna turned around.

" _Daphne?"_ said Hermione.

" _Didn't I tell you I would come?"_ answered the Slytherin girl.

" _Yes. I'm just a bit surprised we all arrived at the almost same time,"_ replied Hermione.

" _So, anything I can help with or do you wish to check on your question alone?"_ asked Daphne.

" _Sure, you can help. Having one more to discuss with could be okay,"_ said Hermione before marching away to start her search.

Daphne raised her eyebrows as she watched the Ravenclaw girl disappeared between the shelves. _"Perhaps I shouldn't be here? After all, we don't know each other so well yet."_

Luna grabbed around Daphne's arm and pulled her after Hermione. _"Nonsense. You're more than welcome. Hermione just isn't comfortable talking about one of her weaknesses."_

" _Oh?"_ said Daphne.

" _Perhaps I'm not the right one to tell you,"_ said Luna. But she had barely said this before stopping so abruptly that Daphne almost stumbled. A minute or two passed before Luna had found the words to explain. _"I assume you already know this, but Hermione is a very clever girl. Her memory is outstanding, and her logic equally so."_

" _But?"_

Luna sighed. _"During the first years Hermione and I knew each other, I learned she was relying too much on what she found in books. Unless it was written down, she didn't believe it could be true. I've expanded her point of view since then, but Hermione still falls back on old habits at times."_

" _So when she said it was okay to have one more to discuss with, she meant -"_

" _Exactly what she said. Despite Hermione's doubt about other sources, she still listens to what her friends say."_

" _Right…it just that…I know what I said at the Gryffindor table, but what if -"_

" _You don't have to be afraid,"_ interrupted Luna the other girl. _"Hermione may not have admitted it, but she's considering all of you her friends. We're just not used to the situation yet, especially Hermione. Give her some time, and she may express it with words one day."_

" _What about you? You seem to handle the transition well enough?"_

Luna smiled. _"It's been said that I am more open-minded, making it easier to accept changes. Perhaps one of my own weaknesses."_

" _Wouldn't such a mindset be an advantage?"_ wondered Daphne.

" _Sometimes. I don't share Hermione's scepticism, but I can understand why she's thinking like that."_ Luna made sure no one else was listening. _"With our kind of magic, having a balanced mindset isn't a bad idea. Trust or suspicion alone may seem like an easier way, but either of them could lead us into places we don't want to go."_

" _I can relate to what you're saying. My family is one of the oldest in our society, but after I was born and they found out about my magic, they started to withdraw from the others. Our reputation suffered because of this, but it would have been worse if the other families had noticed. The first time Dumbledore visited us and warned about how dangerous our lives could become, I didn't think too much about it then."_ Daphne laughed a little. _"I put too much trust into our family name, believing it would protect me from any problem my magic could give me. But about two years ago, my sister and I were in Diagon Alley with our mother and met one of our few remaining friends. They talked with my mother, and the conversation soon changed to a story they had heard. A distant relative of them had been killed by Aurors from the French Ministry For Magic. This man behaved in ways the Ministry considered dangerous and suspected him for having our kind of magic. The Aurors tried to capture him, but it ended in a deadly fight. They later found out that his magic was normal. But for my mother's friends, it didn't matter. In their eyes, anyone with our kind of magic should have been found and executed. It was at this moment I realised how foolish I had been. Afterwards, I became more careful about my behaviour and what I said to others."_

" _I'm sorry to hear this,"_ said Luna.

" _Don't be. I learned my lesson and hopefully won't end up like that man in France."_ Daphne wiped away a tiny tear from her cheek and grabbed Luna's hand. _"Come, let us find out what Hermione is doing."_

They found the mentioned girl further inside the library. She had already found a couple of books from the shelves in the Charm section. Hermione looked through one of the books but soon put it aside before she searched the shelves again.

" _What are you trying to find?"_ asked Luna. _"We can help you search."_

At first, it didn't seem as if Hermione had heard her friend, but she soon stared at the other two. _"Any book which mentions the Depulso spell,"_ was all Hermione said before she resumed the search.

Luna and Daphne began looking through the shelves as well. They found several books which described Depulso. Hermione had a quick look into each of them, but shook her head and continued the search. It wasn't long before the narrow tables at the bottom of the bookcases were full of books, but Hermione was still not happy.

" _If we knew anything more than the name, it would help us find what you're looking for,"_ said Daphne.

Hermione looked over the books they had already found and sighed. _"I don't know what I'm looking for until I see it myself."_

" _That sounds a bit vague if you ask me,"_ said Daphne.

" _For me, it sounds exactly like Hermione,"_ grinned Luna.

" _Eh?"_ said a puzzled Daphne.

" _What Luna is saying is that I only have a hunch about what I'm searching for,"_ answered Hermione as she was browsing through another book.

" _Can't you at least try to explain?"_ said Daphne.

Once again, Hermione examined the piles of books before she nodded. _"Fine, but let us first put the books back, or Madam Pince will skin us alive."_

After they had returned the books to their place, the girls found an empty table at the back of the library.

" _Do you remember when I used Depulso on the train?"_ asked Hermione.

Daphne nodded. _"It was the second time I saw someone using it, but your execution was perfect and powerful."_

" _And there you described the problem,"_ said Hermione. _"It was too perfect and powerful."_

" _What's wrong with that?"_ wondered Daphne. _"Isn't the purpose of learning magic to do it well and become strong?"_

Hermione opened the one book she hadn't put back into the shelf and pointed on a sentence. _"Read!"_

" _A perfect Depulso should be able to move your target 2 or 3 foot, depending on weight, away from its original position,"_ read Daphne.

" _Now, think back on my Depulso on the train and find the problem."_

It wasn't long before Daphne's eyes widened when she understood what Hermione meant. _"You're right! Your Depulso was too good. Even with the best training in the world, a witch or wizard at our age shouldn't have been able to push both Goyle and Crabbe that far. You didn't send them only 2 or 3 foot, but the whole length of the carriage."_

" _You went over the limits of what a normal magic user should be able to do,"_ said Luna.

" _Exactly,"_ said Hermione and closed the book. _"I hope no one else noticed the differences between mine and the one in the book. But it made me realise a problem we all will have. Next week, we will learn how to use spells. How do you think the other students will react when they see how much stronger our spells are? In the beginning, they could just think we're better trained. But sooner or later, some of them will understand that our magic isn't normal."_

" _And when they do that, they will start snooping around for answers,"_ said Daphne.

" _Answers which we don't want them to find,"_ said Hermione.

" _Won't it depend on which spells we're learning?"_ said Luna. _"There are many where our magic won't make a difference."_

" _That's true, but we don't know what the teachers will begin with,"_ said Hermione.

" _In our last class with Flitwick, he mentioned we should start learning the Wand-Lightning Charm next week,"_ said Luna. _"It shouldn't create any problem or?"_

Hermione pulled out her 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1' from the bag and found the page with the mentioned spell. _"Yes and no."_

" _What do you mean?"_ asked Daphne.

" _The Wand-Lightning Charm is simple, but requires concentration. Take care not to accidentally set your wand alight as damage of this kind can be permanent,"_ read Hermione from the book.

" _Oh!"_ responded Daphne. _"I'm happy that my mother already has taught me that spell. It wouldn't be the best start of the year if I turned my wand into a torch."_

" _Luna and I also have learned the Wand-Lightning Charm, but I don't know about the others. But even if they know it, there won't be much comfort for any of us."_ Hermione closed the book and patted it on the top. _"Except for learning every single spell inside this book before we get them, which isn't realistic, we don't have a solution at this point of time. That's why I was searching the books for something which would explain why my Depulso was so strong. If there had been a stronger version I didn't know about, maybe it was true for other spells as well."_

" _Couldn't we learn to restrain our powers?"_ asked Luna.

"How?" answered Daphne. _"When my sister and I started our training at home, we could feel where the border between our ordinary magic and not were. But as we got better, it became easier and easier to cross over, and after a while, we didn't notice the border any more. I don't think we can relearn this ability?"_

" _Hm,"_ said Hermione as she began looking among the bookshelves.

" _We can?"_ said Daphne astound.

" _Not sure, but if there is a way, any of these books could hold the answer,"_ said Hermione.

" _Maybe Dumbledore know how?"_ said Daphne.

" _Perhaps, but Hermione doesn't trust him,"_ said Luna.

" _Then who can we trust?"_ asked Daphne.

" _Only each other,"_ sighed Hermione.

" _What about Snape?"_ wondered Luna.

Hermione shook her head. _"He's no less enigmatic than Dumbledore. But at least he's admitting that we shouldn't trust him. No, if we want answers, we must find them ourselves."_

Daphne closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _"This is stupid,"_ mumbled Daphne. _"It's like if both Dumbledore and Snape are throwing us into the dragon's gap while hoping we don't get burned."_

" _Maybe they have to?"_ said Luna.

" _Huh? Why?"_ asked Daphne.

" _Some magical creatures abandon or ignore their newborn children,"_ explained Luna. _"It's most common among those who have magical abilities. There is this small, winged serpent who lives high in the mountains. It was first discovered at Mount Everest for about 300 years ago. They call it Vhāspariṅga sāmpa or the Whispering Snake because of the sound they make when moving around. Since there isn't much food at that altitude, these creatures drain magical energy from the ground instead. But a newborn Vhāspariṅga sāmpa can only learn this on their own. As they begin to starve after birth, their instincts tell them where to find the energy. Unfortunately, only half of them survive the first day."_

Daphne gaped. _"Are you comparing us to this…whatever you called it -"_

" _The Vhāspariṅga sāmpa?"_ said Luna.

" _Yeah, like I said. You're comparing us to this creature, saying that Dumbledore and Snape are ignoring us until we learn whatever we need to learn by ourselves?"_

Luna nodded. _"Yes."_

" _She could have a point,"_ said Hermione.

Daphne seemed somewhat lost there she exchanged glances with the two other girls, wondering if they were having a laugh at her expense. _"You're not joking?"_

" _No, I'm not joking,"_ said Hermione. _"It's like Luna said. It seems like there are things we need to find out ourselves without help from Dumbledore and Snape."_

" _But why don't they just tell us that?"_ asked Daphne.

" _Hm. Because having fear for the unknown is better than fearing what we know,"_ answered Hermione.

This didn't help the Slytherin girl at all. Instead, she kept staring speechless at the brunette.

" _Okay, let me try to explain,"_ said Hermione.

" _Yes, that would help a lot,"_ replied Daphne.

" _When I was four years old, I got overconfident or maybe just were stupid. It was after we began our training, but I thought I didn't need it to control my magic. To prove this, I tried to find out how much magical energy I could summon. But the only thing I manage was to get sick with magical fever."_

" _Ouch!"_ groaned Daphne. _"I haven't had it myself, but I have heard of people who died of that sickness."_

Hermione nodded. _"Yes, it can be deadly if it's not treated. Thanks to Luna's mother, I survived. Although the treatment is almost as bad as the sickness itself. Pandora came to me with two bottles of potions. The first one didn't taste so bad and went down quickly. But the second one…"_ Hermione's face grimaced when repressed memories returned. _"The second one was thick and very sticky. It was like drinking a bottle of disgusting jelly, and it felt like an eternity when it was crawling down your throat."_ She shook in her chair just by the thought of what came next. _"But the worst part came after I had swallowed the second potion. You see, Luna's mother knew I would have problems with this potion. So the first one's task was to sedate my sense of taste and prevent me from throwing up."_

" _But I guess it didn't work?"_ said Daphne.

" _It did, to begin with. But at that time, Pandora was still inexperienced with making potions for those with our kind of magic,"_ said Hermione. _"Something which works for others doesn't always work for us. Unfortunately for me, the part of Pandora's potion which should sedate my sense of taste stopped working after a couple of minutes. By then, the last of the liquid from the second potion had already crawled past my tongue."_

" _I'm afraid to ask, but what did it taste like?"_ said Daphne.

" _Have you ever eaten mouldy bread?"_

" _Once. It wasn't exactly delicious."_

" _I bet it wasn't,"_ grinned Hermione. _"Now, think about how it tasted, but ten times worse."_

" _Eww! That's gross,"_ said Daphne.

" _I know. I wanted to throw up the damn thing, but sadly, the second part of the first potion worked as it should. It took several days before the aftertaste disappeared."_

" _I read my mother's notes about this potion a few years later,"_ said Luna. _"The reason for its taste is one of the ingredients. It's a rare fungus only found in deep caverns, but I don't remember its name. But Hermione doesn't have to worry about getting magical fever again since having it once makes you immune."_

" _True, but what does this have to do with what Luna said?"_ asked Daphne.

" _If Luna's mother had told me in advance how terrible her potion would taste, there's a high chance I wouldn't have taken it at all,"_ answered Hermione. _"So instead, Pandora didn't warn me to make sure I took it. And that's what Dumbledore and Snape probably also is doing. They ignore us because we need to learn something ourselves, but whatever it is, there's a good chance it will be an unpleasant experience."_

Daphne sighed. _"So we have to find out what they want us to learn before the other students discover us? We're dead!"_

Hermione didn't answer the Slytherin girl. Instead, she looked around in the library while a theory started to form in her head. _"Unless…"_

" _Unless what?"_ said Daphne.

" _We already have found what we need to learn by ourselves? Don't you think it's weird that we won't receive any training until after Halloween?"_

" _Didn't Dumbledore say it was because they wanted us to get better acquainted with our house and the rest of the school?"_ said Daphne.

" _Yes, but I think it's only a part of the truth. What if our training requires that we know how to sense the difference between normal levels of magic and above?"_

" _Not sure why it would matter, but it's our best guess so far,"_ replied Daphne.

" _Hermione, do you think we can find out how to control our magical strength in time?"_ asked Luna.

The brunette didn't have any answers for her friend. Hermione would have to search among the thousands of books in the library, hoping one of them had something useful. But would it be enough time?

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

 **Hogwarts library, Afternoon, after dinner, Monday, 09th September. 1991.**

It wasn't long after dinner when Hermione once again sat in the library, searching for the answer they all needed. Since her conversation with Luna and Daphne last Friday, Hermione had spent all her free time in this room. A lot of exciting stuff had been found, but nothing related to their problem. The brunette closed yet another book and stared across the room where Luna was searching for her next book. It wasn't how Hermione had expected to spend her time with the blonde girl, but Luna had as always shown great understanding of the situation. Both knew very well that this problem couldn't go unsolved for too long, or they all would suffer.

" _You haven't found anything yet?"_ asked Susan when she sat down at the table with a new pile of books.

Hermione shook her head. _"Dumbledore said he had removed every book he had found about the subject. It seems like he did a good job."_

" _And you're sure Snape wouldn't help us if we asked?"_

" _Yes, I'm sure,"_ answered Hermione. _"Snape seems to have his own agenda, and until we know what it is, I believe we shouldn't make us too dependent on him."_

" _Right! Back to the search then,"_ said Susan and opened the top book.

The next half an hour, the three girls read through several books in their search for useful information. The stack of books on the table had reached alarming heights when the rest of the girls at last appeared.

" _Sorry that we are late, but Parvati told me about something amazing happening in her flying class today,"_ said Padma and sat down at the table.

" _Unless a dragon landed in the training grounds, I'm not interested,"_ answered Susan.

" _Did you wake up on the wrong side today, Susan?"_ asked Daphne.

The Hufflepuff girl put aside the book she was reading and moaned. _"No!"_

" _Unfortunately, no Dragon, but almost as special,"_ said Parvati.

" _In that case, as I said, not interested."_ Susan grabbed all the books in front of her and left the table to continue her search at a nearby bookcase.

" _She seems to be in a terrible mood today,"_ whispered Daphne to Hermione.

" _Susan is stressed because our search hasn't given any results so far,"_ replied Luna.

" _And it didn't exactly help her mood that she was the only one who appeared at the appointed time,"_ added Hermione.

" _I'm worried too, but I doubt we will find the answer faster by stressing,"_ said Daphne.

" _Daphne is right,"_ said one of the Carrow twins. _"Research requires time and accuracy. Otherwise, it's a risk that the information will slip through our fingers."_

The last couple of days of studies had given Hermione a better understanding of the others, especially Hestia and Flora. The twins didn't talk so much as the other girls, but their ability to find information were among the best.

" _I get it. Spending all your available time in the library isn't the most fun thing for everyone. But I shouldn't need to remind you all that the clock is ticking and we don't know how much time we have in total. Even if we found the knowledge here and now, it doesn't mean we're safe. If we are lucky, it's a simple thing we could learn in a matter of a few hours. But I doubt it will be that easy. And before anyone says it, I don't wish to spend all my time here either. But unless I do so, my time at Hogwarts could be shorter than expected."_ Hermione wished she didn't have to point out the undeniable facts. Not when the group of eight girls were, according to their teachers, among the brightest students at the school.

An awkward silence spread itself around the table, and none of the girls dared to look into each other's eyes. They all knew Hermione was right, but it wasn't easy for an eleven-year-old girl to accept living such a serious life. All of them were still just children and should be allowed to have fun as everyone else at their age. But at the moment, fun was a luxury they couldn't afford. Maybe they could have some when they were getting older? If they even were allowed to grow up?

" _Sorry,"_ said Hermione. _"I guess I sounded like my mother when she's angry at me."_

" _It's okay,"_ replied Daphne. _"We all know the importance of these studies, but it isn't easy to wake up in the morning when almost every moment has to be spent on studies. Since our emergency meeting before the weekend, I have only been sleeping, eating or reading."_

" _I know,"_ said Hermione. _"Luna keeps telling me how important it is to relax and not having our noses deep inside a book all the time. And I have to agree with her."_

" _Then let us make a deal. We do our best to find the information we need, uses it to fix our problem and then do something fun together which doesn't involve books?"_ said Padma. _"Agreed?"_

Everyone around the table agreed on this deal, except Susan who still was searching the bookshelves a distance away.

When they all had found a book to read through, Hermione asked, _"So, Parvati. What happened in your class?"_

" _Well, it actually began at breakfast,"_ said Parvati. _"Neville Longbottom got a Remembrall with the post this morning. Draco Malfoy tried to steal it from Neville, but McGonagall spotted what happened and came over to stop Draco. We thought he wouldn't bother Neville any more after that, but we were wrong. In our flying class today, we learned how to command our broomstick and make them hover. But when Neville pushed off the ground, he used too much force and flew several feet up in the air. When he had reached at least 20 foot up, he slipped sideways of the broom and fell to the ground."_

" _It must have been painful for Neville?"_ said Luna with a gasp.

Parvati nodded. _"Neville broke his wrist, and Madam Hooch took him to the hospital wing. When they were gone, Draco started, of course, to talk shit about Neville."_

" _Unfortunately there were many from Slytherin who taught Draco was funny,"_ said Daphne embarrassed. _"Should have said something, but -"_

" _Daphne, it's okay,"_ interrupted Parvati. _"I understand. None of us from Gryffindor and Slytherin wishes to attract more attention than necessary."_

" _It doesn't make it much better, but thanks,"_ said Daphne.

" _Anyhow. Draco wasn't content with this only,"_ continued Parvati. _"He discovered that Neville had lost his Remembrall when he hit the ground. Draco picked it up and flew up in the air on this broomstick, searching for a place to put it where Neville wouldn't reach. That's when Harry flew after Draco to stop him."_

" _Was he able to stop Draco?"_ asked Susan who had returned to the table without a sound.

" _They were too high for us on the ground to hear them, but we could see how they argued. Then Draco threw the Remembrall away,"_ said Parvati. _"Harry set off after it and caught it by doing an amazing roll before he hit a window."_

" _Guess Draco wasn't pleased with that?"_ said Hermione.

" _No, but after Harry had landed, McGonagall came out of the castle in a seemingly upset mood,"_ said Parvati. _"She ordered Harry to follow her, and we believed it would be the last time we saw him. That Harry would be expelled from the school."_

" _It would require more than that to be expelled,"_ said Hermione. _"Fred and George have broken the rules so many times that their mother has lost count, but they are still here."_

" _We didn't know that,"_ said Parvati. _"So when Harry came into the Great Hall during dinner, we learned why McGonagall had taken him with her. McGonagall seems to be a huge Quidditch fan and thought Harry could become an excellent Seeker for the Gryffindor team."_

Except for the Patil twins, the rest of the girls' eyes widened when they heard this.

" _Harry Potter is Gryffindor's new Seeker?"_ said Daphne and burst into laughter. _"Oh, dear. I would love to see Draco's face when he finds out. To think his idiotic pranks gave Gryffindor the perfect Seeker."_

" _Strange to see you of all people being happy for the Gryffindor's Quidditch team?"_ said Parvati.

Daphne put her arm around Parvati and whispered teasingly into the ear of the Gryffindor girl. _"Your team will need all the advantages they can get to beat Slytherin. Doubt Harry will make much of a difference."_

" _Oh, yeah?"_ said Parvati and stood up from her chair. _"Wanna bet?"_

Daphne also stood up and stared straight into Parvati's eyes. _"Sure. What do we bet?"_

" _Hm, any suggestions?"_ asked Parvati the others.

" _What if the loser has to colour their hair in the winning teams colour the rest of the year?"_ suggested Luna.

" _So if Gryffindor wins the cup, I must have red hair, and if Slytherin wins, Parvati must have green hair?"_ said Daphne.

" _Have you got cold feet's already?"_ teased Parvati.

Daphne reached out her hand. _"No, do you?"_

" _Not a chance,"_ answered Parvati and grabbed the Slytherin girl's hand.

Despite this being another distraction from what they were supposed to do, Hermione said nothing this time. Getting sidetracked now and then wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. As Susan's recent behaviour had proven, being too engrossed in their task would only cause them all to become grumpy and lose focus. Hermione shook her head. Perhaps Ron was right after all? Maybe Hermione was starting to think more like Luna. When Hermione looked at the blonde girl, she didn't see a problem with this.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

Later that evening, Harry and Ron were on their way to the Great Staircase. After becoming Gryffindor's new seeker, the students in Harry's house seemed to look at him more favourably now. He hoped it would make his time more enjoyable at the school, but there were always those who wished otherwise. When the two boys stepped around the corner towards the stairs, they discovered it was blocked.

" _Thought you already were on the train home, Potter?"_ said Draco, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle on each side of the boy.

" _Why don't you just leave me alone? How many times do I have to tell you? I don't care about the feud between our families,"_ sighed Harry.

" _Scared? Or have you finally learned your place?"_ gloated Draco.

This wasn't what Harry wanted, but it seemed like Draco never would leave Harry alone. _"You have some ridiculous high thoughts about yourself, Malfoy. Especially for someone who was so easily beaten by a Muggle girl."_

" _Pff, she cheated. But what do you say, Potter? Shall we once and for all, find out who is the strongest? Tonight? Wizard duel? Wands only — no physical contact?"_

" _It's a deal,"_ replied Ron before Harry had a chance to answer. _"I'm his second, whose yours?"_

Draco looked between Crabbe and Goyle for a moment before he answered, _"Crabbe. We meet in the trophy room at midnight."_ Then the three Slytherins left the two boys to their own thoughts.

" _Why did you agree?"_ asked Harry. _"I don't have to prove anything to Draco."_

" _Come 'n Harry. Are you going to let him step on you the rest of your time at the school?"_ said Ron.

Harry took a deep breath. _"No! But if my mother finds out about this, she'll get mad."_

" _Then we'll make sure she doesn't find out,"_ said Ron with a smile and walked up the stairs with Harry following behind. Neither of them discovered the two figures who stood around the corner, listening to every word which had been said.

" _What should we do?"_ asked Luna.

" _We? Why do we need to do anything?"_ answered Hermione. _"If they wish to risk detention or worse because of this stupid duel, that's their problem."_

The two girls had finished their work at the library for the evening and decided to take a stroll around the school before bedtime. They had seen Harry and Ron turning around the corner towards the stairs and thus slowed down. Not long after, they heard Draco taunting Harry. The girls got as close as they could and listen through the whole argument.

" _What about our promise to Ginny?"_ asked Luna.

Yes, they had promised Ginny to keep an eye on Ron. But except for getting caught with detention as a result, what could go wrong? Most first-years had little knowledge about dangerous spells. Even Hermione, despite all her studies, didn't know anything which could either wound or maim anyone. But Daphne and her sister were already competent duellists after receiving training from their family. Could Harry or Draco have learned something similar? What if they did and hit Ron with one of their spells? _"Bloody hell, Ron. Why can't he focus on his studies instead of searching for trouble?"_

" _He has always been looking up to Fred and George,"_ said Luna.

" _Couldn't he have had Percy as a role model instead? It certainly would make my life easier."_

" _So, we stop them?"_

" _How? I'm not sure if McGonagall would believe us without evidence."_

" _What about Charlie?"_ wondered Luna.

Hermione shook her head. _"Involving Charlie would only widen the rift between Ron and me even further. And if Charlie finds out, you can bet Molly also will."_

" _Which would make Ron even angrier."_

" _Yes,"_ said Hermione. She considered several solutions, but only one of them could work and were acceptable. _"It seems like I have to break some rules again. I could follow Harry and Ron to their duel. Watching them from a distance, make sure no harm comes to Ron."_

" _You mean 'we' have to break some rules?"_ said Luna.

" _Yes, I did, of course, meant we."_ A little lie, but at least Hermione would now know where she had the blonde.

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

The clock had passed eleven, and the curfew had come into force. Near the entrance of the Gryffindor tower, Hermione and Luna had been waiting for a while already. They sat in a dark corner only a few yards away from the portrait of the Fat Lady and kept watch. They didn't know when the boys would appear, but if they wanted to reach the trophy room in time, they couldn't wait much longer.

" _Do you think they have dropped the duel?"_ whispered Luna.

" _It would be the smartest move, but I doubt they have,"_ answered Hermione.

Less than a minute later, the portrait opened and two familiar silhouettes came out. Hermione considered trying to convince Harry not to do this, but with Ron around, it would have a small chance to succeed. As Harry had pointed out on the wooden bridge, Ron was one of Harry's few friends, which meant he would rely more on Ron's words than Hermione's. The two girls watched Harry and Ron as they disappeared down the stairs. Hermione left the corner and looked over the railings just enough to see where the boys went. But it seemed like they already had left the Grand Staircase. Hermione stood up to full height and looked again, but instead of the boy's, she discovered a major problem at the bottom of the stairs.

" _Hermione, isn't it Slytherin whose coming up the stairs now?"_ said Luna and pointed at the group of students who were moving upwards.

" _Of course, why didn't I think about that? We're starting the Astronomy classes this week and Slytherin have theirs tonight,"_ said Hermione. She studied the group of students who came higher and higher up the stairs. At the front, she saw Daphne and the Carrow twins, while at the back Draco was surrounded by his usual group of cronies.

Hermione and Luna ducked behind the railing again and followed the group through the balusters.

" _If Draco is there with his house, who do you believe is waiting for Harry and Ron?"_ asked Luna.

" _Not sure, except it can't be anything good,"_ answered Hermione. She saw the Slytherin students vanish into a corridor one floor below them and was now gone. That Draco wouldn't show up at the duel was both a relief and worrisome. Ron shouldn't be in danger of getting hit by a dangerous spell now, but it was doubtful that Harry and Ron would face an empty trophy room. Hermione was sure Draco had revealed where Filch could find some rebellious students tonight. Maybe she should just let them take the consequences of their idiocy? A few weeks of detention should calm down their interest in any future adventures. They wouldn't be expelled from the school just for breaking the curfew. Would they?

" _What shall we do?"_ asked Luna.

" _Tempting as it is to let them be caught by Filch, I guess we should at least try to warn them,"_ said Hermione. _"If we do, perhaps Ron and I will be able to talk to each other again. Continue to avoid each other as we do now, isn't what I want to do for the rest of the year."_

The two girls looked down the stairs again and found it empty. Without knowing which path the boys had taken, Hermione and Luna walked with swift steps down the stairs to the third floor. Because they had been delayed by Slytherin, the two girls had to take the most direct route to the trophy room if they should be able to warn the boys in time. They kept close to the walls to reduce their silhouettes, while double-checking every corridor and door they passed along the way. This tactic would further delay their chance to find the boys, but Hermione had no interest in risking their own safety.

At a crossing, Hermione suddenly felt Luna's hand on her shoulder. Hermione looked at the blonde girl who pointed into one of the side corridors. In the light of the few torches who existed here, they saw a large shadow moving at a slow pace towards them. Hermione pulled Luna with her behind a column, hoping they hadn't been seen. The shadow stopped several times and seemed to look around itself, almost as if it expected pursuers. When it got closer, the two girls could see the details on the unknown person much better. When Hermione realised who it was, she almost stopped breathing. There was only one teacher at Hogwarts with a turban. Professor Quirrell! Could he sense their magic? Or was it just pure coincidence that they once again crossed each other's path?

" _He has lost our trail,"_ mumbled Quirrell without his usual stutter. _"Things would be so much easier if he had a little 'accident' which removed him for good."_

Quirrell was now only a few feet away from the two girls, but he didn't seem to notice them. Had they been wrong about Quirrell? Perhaps he didn't have wild magic after all? But if not, who had he been searching for that night if not the Patil sisters?

" _Yes, it will create many questions, especially from Dumbledore, but..."_ continued Quirrell to mumble. _"As you wish, my lord. We shall be patient and wait for our time to come."_ With those words, the professor changed direction and walked away from the girls.

Hermione had now had enough. Harry and Ron would have to fend for themselves now. With Quirrell creeping around the corridors, Luna's safety was more important than two stubborn boys. As soon as the professor was out of sight, Hermione and Luna would head back to the Ravenclaw tower before Filch also appeared with his cat.

Quirrell was soon just a blurred shadow at the end of the corridor he moved true and…CRAAAAASH! The deafening sound of large amounts of metal hitting the floor roared through the castle. For several seconds, neither the girls nor Quirrell moved as the echo still rang in their ears. Not long after they heard a new sound from the same direction as the last.

" _STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"_ bellowed Peeves so loud that half of Hogwarts must have heard him.

The two girls didn't need to guess who the students were. And with Quirrell so close, it would only be a matter of minutes before Harry and Ron got caught. But Quirrell wasn't running towards the noise. Instead, he disappeared around the corner in the opposite direction. Not that it would help Harry and Ron too much since Filch or some of the other teachers must have heard Peeves as well. However, all this ruckus created a new problem for Hermione and Luna. If they were discovered and caught, the boys would get away while Hermione and Luna had to take the blame for everything. If that happened, Hermione swore she would make every remaining day as miserable as she could for the two boys.

" _We have to sneak back to the tower while avoiding Filch or any of the…"_ started Hermione to explain, but she never got the chance to finish. Three shadows came storming down one of the corridors towards the two girls. Hermione had only a few seconds to respond and placed herself in front of Luna as a shield. When the foremost of the shadows became aware of the girls, it halted so fast that the other two failed to stop and soon all three lay in a pile on the floor.

" _Harry, why the heck did you stop?"_ complained Ron while trying to get back on his feet again.

Harry didn't answer him but instead looked up at the girls. _"Hermione? Luna? What are you doing here?"_

" _Forget about them,"_ grunted Ron. _"We can't stay here. Filch and that bloody cat of his will find us if we don't move. Neville, would you remove your foot from my head so I can get up?"_

" _Sorry, Ron,"_ answered Neville at the bottom of the pile.

The sight of the three boys who struggled to get back on their feet would under other circumstances have been hilarious. But instead of a laugh, Hermione struggled to hold back her seething rage and the desire to slap the boys for their folly. Instead, she had to think sensibly and find a way to regain control of the situation. _"Follow me before I regret it,"_ said Hermione, grabbed Luna's hand and marched down the corridor. Hermione didn't bother to check if the boys actually followed, but either way, she didn't care if they couldn't keep up. Although, she wondered how Neville had ended up with the other two.

Just like the night they had found the Patil sisters, Hermione used the smaller corridors with a hope to avoid the teachers and Filch. The part of the castle they now had reached was however still unfamiliar to Hermione, making it difficult to find the right way. They also couldn't afford the cautious approach of checking every door and corridor on their way. After Peeves shouting, it would be a miracle if no one was searching for the students. This caused extra stress and wrong choices, something which became evident when they ended up in a dead end with a closed door.

" _Fabulous sense of direction there,"_ said Ron as he tried to open the door. It was locked.

" _Shut up,"_ barked Harry. _"As if you're any better. First, you couldn't find the trophy room. Then after you toppled the armour, you panicked which caused us to run into Peeves."_

" _Quiet, both of you,"_ hissed Hermione. She had just been looking around the corner the way they came. _"Mrs Norris just entered the corridor and are now sitting there, waiting for Filch. It means he can't be far away and the last thing we need now is the two of you arguing."_

Both boys looked at Hermione. Neither of them seemed happy with her interrupting, but at least they kept their mouth shut.

This made it easier for Hermione to focus and think through their options to get away. They couldn't leave the dead end without being seen by Mrs Norris. And when the caretaker arrived, he would, without a doubt, search the entire area. Hoping Snape would once again come to their rescue was a foolish thought. There was only one option left. Hermione pulled out her wand and went to the locked door. She pointed her wand towards the lock and whispered, _"Alohomora."_ They heard a click, and the door opens itself quietly.

The three boys didn't have to be told what they should do as they rushed inside the open door. Hermione pushed Luna inside, took a last look around the corner before following the others and closed the door. It wasn't a moment too soon.

" _Have you found them, my dear?"_ said the clear, recognisable voice of the school's caretaker.

Behind the door, the students heard Filch step closer to where they had stood for less than a minute ago.

" _That damned Peeves refused to say anything, even after having woken up most of the castle with his shouts."_ Filch moved again. This time towards the door where the whole group of students held their breaths. The caretaker stopped on the other side but didn't check if the door was locked. Several intense seconds followed, which felt like an eternity, but finally, Filch seemed to give up. _"Come, my sweetie. There's no one here. If I know those rats well, they aren't anywhere near this place any longer."_

As Filch's steps moved away and vanished utterly, those on the inside of the door could breathe again. Harry and Ron smiled at each other, taking this as a victory over Filch.

This attitude annoyed Hermione as she felt they didn't take the situation seriously enough. _"You can celebrate your stupidity later. I want to get away from here and back to the tower before something worse happened."_

" _Nonsense. What could be worse than being chased by Filch?"_ asked Ron.

Fortunately for the Weasley boy, he sat too far away from Hermione. Otherwise, she would have slapped him. Instead, she looked around to see where they were. It turned out to be a dimly lit corridor which smelled like a…dog? She could also hear something which breathed heavily. Looking closer into the half-dark hallway, Hermione could see something massive lying on the floor only a few yards away. Bending forward to get a closer look, the contours of what lay in front of her took shape, and she realised what it was. She almost screamed. _"What…what about a gigantic, three-headed dog?"_

" _There is no such thing,"_ answered Ron as he yet hadn't discovered they weren't alone.

But someone else had. _"Then what do you call that thing?"_ said Neville and pointed with a shaking hand towards the beast in front of them.

The others now also stared into the corridor and could see what Hermione and Neville talked about. An enormous, black dog with three heads which almost filled the whole corridor ahead of the students. One of its heads was stretching itself toward the ceiling and yawned, but on its way down again, it opened its eyes and discovered it wasn't alone. At first, it seemed a bit curious, but as the two other heads also awoke, a deep growl began to grow inside the beast's belly.

" _Do you think it sees us as friends?"_ whispered Neville.

" _Doubtful. I think it sees us as snacks,"_ whispered Hermione back.

" _I don't think I taste so good."_

" _Sorry Neville, but that's not up to you to decide,"_ answered Hermione.

The dog had begun to rise on its feet, making it even more intimidating than it already was. When it noticed that Harry was slowly stretching his hand up to the door handle, its growl became even louder. But this didn't stop Harry from moving. Because he, like the rest of them, understood that if they remained here, they all would die.

Hermione went desperately through every magical spell she knew about on a hunt to find something useful. But the drooling beast only a few yards away made it difficult to focus. That's when she saw the butterfly. A lonely, blue butterfly flying towards the three-headed dog. Soon, more butterflies joined the first in a dance around the heads of the dog. Looking to the side, Hermione found the source of the butterflies. Luna was sitting with her wand in her hand, chanting a spell which increased its intensity equal to the amount of butterflies which appeared. It wasn't long before a humongous swarm distracted the dog so much it had forgotten the children. Luna had stopped her chanting, but the hand holding the wand shook more and more for every second now.

" _Go!"_ said Luna. _"I can't do this much further."_

Neither Ron nor Harry needed further encouragements and had soon opened the door. The three boys almost crawled over each other through the doorway in their fight to get out first.

" _Hermione, go,"_ said Luna.

" _Not without you."_

" _As soon as I stop focusing on the spell, the dog will immediately go after us. So please, go!"_ almost begged Luna.

" _No, I refuse. Either we both go, or we will face the end together,"_ answered Hermione.

Tears began to flow down the cheeks of the blonde. _"Hermione,"_ she whispered so low that you barely could hear it. She made a big jerk with her wand and fainted at the same moment as all the butterflies exploded in a blinding light.

Hermione looked at the dog and saw it had been paralysed. She had no idea for how long the effect would last, but she wasn't going to stay to find out. She grabbed around Luna, lifted the girl and flew out the doorway as if she had wings. Hermione heard the door being closed with a bang behind her. Only seconds later, the dog growled and barked so violently it could have awakened the dead.

The brunette put Luna carefully down on the floor and discovered how cold the girl was. With restless fingers, Hermione searched for a pulse on Luna's neck and finally found it, but it was very feeble. _"Quick! Find a teacher and tell them to come now. Luna needs help!"_ shouted Hermione to the others. She shook the girl on the floor, hoping she would wake up. Hermione's heart pounded frantically while tears flowed like rivers from her eyes. _"Not again. I can't lose you again,"_ complained the girl without fully realising the meaning of her words.

Harry stood as frozen together with the two other boys while listening to Hermione's terrified voice. He knew he should have done what the girl asked, but it also scared Harry of what would happen if he did. Scared for what his mother would say when she found out what had happened here.

Lily Potter had raised her son under strict rules and had made it very clear which behaviour she expected from him at Hogwarts. Because of this, Harry had developed rebellious tendencies towards his mother. Nothing severe and not so much that he crossed a defined boundary. Only just enough for Harry to feel he wasn't entirely under his mother's heels. But what had happened tonight was well beyond what his mother would accept, and Harry feared the consequences. On the other hand, he couldn't just stand here and watch the girl die either. While his feet still considered if he should follow his fear or his conscience, he said the words which took the choice for him.

 _"I can't. My mother…she…"_

It was then Hermione stopped talking and turned towards Harry. What he now saw was even more terrifying than the three-headed dog. The girl's eyes glowed in a green, poisonous colour so intense that Harry felt as if his body was covered in ice. Hermione stretched out her hand, and suddenly, Harry glided across the floor. Before he had a chance to react, the girl's fingers had already grabbed Harry's sweater. The girl's grip was so strong that the neck opening on Harry's sweater tightened like a rope, threatening to strangle him. Harry tried to knock away the girl's hand, but it was like hitting solid rock.

" _Coward!"_ snarled Hermione, but it wasn't her voice.

Ron and Neville could only watch as Harry now struggled to breathe. They were too horrified to react. In Hermione's glowing eyes, they saw only one desire. To kill Harry! A feat she would have managed if Hermione hadn't suddenly released her grip and collapsed next to Luna. Without anyone noticing, the blonde girl had woken and put her hand on Hermione's neck. A flash of light was released from Luna's fingers before she once again fainted.

As soon as Harry got his breath back, he crawled away from the girls with all the haste he could muster. With his trembling body backed up against the wall, Harry looked with terror towards the motionless Ravenclaw girls. _"What…what is she?"_ stuttered Harry. He never got an answer as they know heard the sound of several feet running towards them.

" _Merlin's beard! What has happened here?"_ said McGonagall when she stopped at the sight of the girls lying on the floor.

" _Hermione? Luna?"_ gasped Daphne and rushed to the girls' side.

" _Don't go near her! She is a monster,"_ said Harry.

Daphne turned her head towards Harry and glared at him. Before anyone could stop her, she stormed towards the boy and gave him a slap so hard it nearly knocked Harry over. _"THIS IS YOUR BLOODY FAULT! YOU AND DRACO BOTH!"_ If the Carrow twins hadn't pulled Daphne away from Harry, she would probably have hit Harry even more as Daphne's face was boiling with rage.

" _Miss Greengrass, I must ask that you calm down,"_ said Snape. He went down on his knee next to the unconscious girls and moved his wand over them. _"They are alive, but has to be brought down to the hospital wing at once."_ Snape stood up and looked at McGonagall. _"These three,"_ said Snape, waving his hand towards the three boys, _"are your students. I leave it to you on how to handle them as you see fit."_

McGonagall went over to the Gryffindor boys with a look on her face which didn't promise anything good. _"You three! The Headmaster's office! NOW!"_

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

An hour later, after being listening to what the three boys had to say, Dumbledore sent them back to the Gryffindor tower. He then walked down to the hospital wing where McGonagall and Snape waited on the inside. On beds at the other end of the room, Hermione and Luna were still unconscious while Madam Pomfrey examined them. 5 minutes later, she came across the room over to the three waiting professors.

" _They should both be fine again,"_ said Madam Pomfrey. _"Miss Lovegood seems to have exceeded the limit on what her magic can handle at the moment. She will only need a couple of days of rest before returning to her classes."_

" _And Miss Granger?"_ asked Dumbledore.

" _I'm not sure what's wrong with the girl. I can't find any obvious problems, other than she seems to have fallen into a deep sleep."_ Madam Pomfrey sighed. _"I'm afraid we won't get any more answers until they wake up again."_

" _Thank you, Madam Pomfrey,"_ said Dumbledore and bowed. He guided the two other professors out of the hospital wing.

" _Albus, I don't understand,"_ said McGonagall when they were standing in the corridor outside. _"I thought those with this kind of magic didn't have a limit on their magic. How can Miss Lovegood have exceeded hers?"_

Dumbledore smiled at McGonagall. _"We all have our limits. Miss Lovegood is still young and hasn't built up enough strength yet to handle this amount of magic. That's why they will need thorough training in the coming years. Otherwise, they would risk dying of exhaustion or destroy their minds."_

" _Professor Dumbledore, did you learn anything from the boys about what happened?"_ asked Snape.

The Headmaster told his colleagues everything the three boys had told him. _"I still haven't decided what kind of punishment they deserve for this. They were out of their beds after curfew time. They entered a forbidden corridor and neglected to help a student in need of assistance. Each and one of them alone is bad enough, but all three?"_

" _What about the two girls?"_ asked McGonagall. _"They also broke the rules. Are we once again going to look away or will they receive a deserving punishment this time? Although, I'm not sure how we're going to handle Miss Granger? Her attempt to kill Mr Potter is extremely serious. This type of offence usually means imprisonment at Azkaban."_

" _No, we won't look away this time. Both girls will receive their punishment. However, Miss Granger's so-called attempt on killing Mr Potter will not be persecuted,"_ answered Dumbledore.

" _You can't be serious?"_ said McGonagall. _"Even you can't hide what Miss Granger tried to do. Mr Potter's mother is one of our best Aurors. She will, without a doubt, hear what happened from her son and put Miss Granger in Azkaban shortly after."_

Dumbledore shook his head. _"No, she won't. I've already contacted Lily Potter about this and explained everything for her. She will arrive tomorrow."_

" _I think it's a huge mistake to let Miss Granger get away with this,"_ said McGonagall with a sigh. _"Is she really that important, Albus?"_

" _I'm afraid so, dear Minerva,"_ replied Dumbledore. _"As I explained to you, our world has never been in greater danger than it is today. And before you ask, yes, I'm willing to go to great lengths to protect these girls."_

" _Even if the next time Miss Granger tries to kill someone, she succeeds?"_ asked McGonagall.

" _Even then, Minerva,"_ said Dumbledore in deepest earnest.

Professor McGonagall looked at the Headmaster in total shock over what she heard.

" _Of course, I hope it never will come to this, but it's a small price to pay to save our world,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _Severus, don't tell me you're okay with this?"_ asked McGonagall.

" _I am,"_ answered Snape.

Exhausted, Professor McGonagall sat down on a bench along the wall. _"I never thought we would have to accept such extreme measures. We're talking about allowing children to kill other children while we just look in another direction."_

" _Do not despair. With the right precautions, no children will ever have to die for Miss Granger's hand,"_ said Dumbledore.

McGonagall looked up at the Headmaster and asked, _"It should have been us who fought this battle. Not children who should play with each other before they are brutally being thrown into the adult world."_

" _Nothing would please me more, but we aren't strong enough to fight them. I have tried and failed,"_ said Dumbledore.

" _You have fought one of them?"_ asked a surprised Snape.

Dumbledore nodded. _"Five years ago, I ran into one by coincidence. I didn't know it then but learned later that the woman I fought was one of them. The only reason I escaped the duel with her was that she didn't take me seriously. In her eyes, I was merely a toy to play with."_

McGonagall stood up and stared into the Headmaster's eyes. _"If you couldn't defeat one of them, how do you expect Miss Granger to do what you cannot?"_

" _She won't. At least not alone,"_ replied Dumbledore. _"Only together will the girls have a chance to defeat their enemies. Hopefully, when the time comes, they will be prepared and have the strength to win the upcoming battle. That's why they need our support, even if it means we have to protect them from themselves on the way."_

" _You're playing a long and dangerous game, Albus. If you lose, our world is doomed,"_ said McGonagall.

" _I'm well aware of this. But the result will be the same if I don't play,"_ answered Dumbledore. _"But with your help, we might have a chance."_

 **XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX**

" _Hello? Anyone there?"_

No one answered, except for the echo of Hermione's voice. The wide tunnel she stood in, carved out through the mountain, was empty except for lit torches in rusty iron mounts. She didn't know how she ended up here. The last thing Hermione remembered was sitting on her knees on the floor at Hogwarts, crying over an almost lifeless Luna. Hermione also had a weak memory of floating around in cold darkness before she woke up here, but she couldn't be sure if it were true. Was this a dream as well? When Hermione let her fingers glide over the rough, dark and cold stone walls of the tunnel, it felt real to her. But something wasn't right. Maybe she should follow the tunnel and see what's at the end? But which way? Hermione followed her instincts, picked a direction and began walking.

Not long after, the tunnel started to slope downwards. The deeper Hermione went, the colder and more humid the air became. And if she listened carefully, Hermione could hear some distant waves. Several minutes later, the tunnel ended in a dark, open space. Hermione released the closest torch from its mount and walked a few steps inside the area. She lifted the torch as high as she could, but the light couldn't reveal where the ceiling was.

Then Hermione followed the wall clockwise to determine how large the area was. Soon, the tunnel she had come from was becoming smaller and smaller before disappearing behind her. Hermione continued to follow the wall and noticed how it curved the whole time inwards. The sound of the waves became ever more apparent, and Hermione soon found herself on a stone shelf, looking down into a deep hole. At the bottom, through a large opening, she saw daylight flowing inside, accompanied by huge waves. They hit the mountainsides of the hole with colossal force. There had to be a lake or perhaps a sea outside.

Leaving the shelf behind, Hermione resumed her walk along the wall. A couple of minutes later, the tunnel became visible again in the distance. Standing back at the tunnel entrance, Hermione looked into the centre of the room. On the whole trip around, Hermione hadn't been able to see what was in the middle of this vast cave. What if there was a hole there too? The torch she carried didn't give much light, making it challenging to see more than 2 yards in front of her.

Hermione picked up three stones and threw the first one towards the centre. It hit the ground a few times before rolling to a complete stop. The next stone she sent flying to the left of the first one. This also hit the ground twice, but then hit something before stopping. The last one got thrown to the left of the second. Like the other two, it hit the ground but landed with a splash shortly after. None the wiser, Hermione decided it was only one way to find out what was in the middle. She took three steps forward, but on the fourth, her body refused to move. After several attempts, Hermione got annoyed.

" _Stop resisting,"_ said Hermione, hoping that whoever controlled this dream heard her. _"You have brought me here for a purpose, and it's in the middle of this cave. If I'm not allowed to see, then let me wake up again."_

Hermione didn't get a clear answer, but when trying to move again, she could. With short steps, she got closer to the centre and could see something tall and thick in front of her. It was of all things a tree! It seemed to be an old oak, but the bark didn't have its natural dark colour. Instead, it was more greyish with a mixture of green and blue in between. Touching the tree, Hermione realised what it was. _"It's petrified,"_ whispered Hermione to herself. Raising the torch over her head, she found out that the branches had once been cut off. A branchless, petrified tree in the middle of a cavern? _"I don't understand?"_

Moving around the three, Hermione made sure to keep an eye on the ground. When reaching the other side, she stopped. It was a circular pond there next to the tree with some form of liquid. She bent forward and tried to sniff what the liquid was. The nose soon recognised the scent and Hermione promptly took a step back. It was oil! This became stranger and stranger. First a petrified tree, and now a pond with oil? _"What are you trying to tell me?"_ The only answer she got was an urge to look up. Almost two-and-a-half yard up, a thick iron rod with a hook at the end was sticking out of the tree trunk. On the hook, hung what looked like ancient shackles, something you would have put on a prisoner or slave.

" _This is getting…"_ tried Hermione to say, but she then got an intense pain in her head. She fell on her knees and dropped the torch which immediately rolled towards the pond and ignited the oil. When the pain eased for a moment, Hermione looked up at the tree trunk, which was now fully visible in the light from the burning oil. To her horror, she discovered that the shackles were no longer empty. A young woman dressed in a white robe was hanging in them over the flames. When the fire got hold of the woman's clothes, Hermione opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Instead, as the fire spread over the woman's body, a new and stronger pain struck Hermione's head, as well as a scream from a woman. Seconds later, Hermione fainted.

" _Miss Granger? Miss Granger?"_

Hermione opened her eyes and stared into the face of Madam Pomfrey. She was back at Hogwarts.

" _Miss Granger, is everything in order?"_ asked the matron. _"You started to scream and…"_

But Hermione ignored Madam Pomfrey, leaned over the edge of the bed and threw up.


End file.
